FIRST ANNUAL #KeepKidsSafe CONNECTICUT STATEWIDE GUN BUYBACK AND GUN SAFE GIVEAWAY DAY PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 16, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS ADVISORY
September 17, 2021
Press Contacts:
Newtown Action Alliance Foundation: John Kelley jkelley@newtownaction.org 917-679-6475
Ethan Miller Song Foundation: Kristin Song ks@getcontrol.net
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center: Kevin Borrup, kborrup@connecticutchildrens.org
Saint Francis Hospital - Trinity Health Of New England: Brianna Barnes, brianna.barnes@trinityhealthofne.org
Wilton Quaker Meeting: Peter Murchison pdmurch@gmail.com
Swords to Plowshares Northeast: Dr. Pina Violano pina.violano@gmail.com 203-843-2002
CT Against Gun Violence Education Fund, Inc.: Jeremy Stein jeremy@cagv.org
Mothers United Against Violence: Deborah Davis ddavismuav@gmail.com
Violent Crime Survivors: Michele Voigt VCSurvivors@gmail.com 203-900-4324
Guilford Police Department: (203) 453-8061
Hartford Police Department: (860) 757-4000
Newtown Police Department: (203) 270-4255
Norwalk Police Department: (203) 854-3000
Waterbury Police Department: Sergeant Robert Davis rdavis@wtbypd.org 203-573-6347
FIRST ANNUAL #KeepKidsSafe CONNECTICUT STATEWIDE GUN BUYBACK AND GUN SAFE GIVEAWAY DAY PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 16, 2021
Newtown, CT -- Newtown Action Alliance Foundation, Ethan Miller Song Foundation, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Saint Francis Hospital, CT Against Gun Violence Education Fund, Swords to Plowshares Northeast, Wilton Quaker Meeting, CT Violence Intervention Program, Mothers United Against Violence, Tears for Triumph, Violent Crime Survivors, Guilford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Newtown Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, and Waterbury Police Department announce the first annual #KeepKidsSafe Connecticut Statewide Gun Buyback and Gun Safe Giveaway Day on October 16, 2021.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a gun-free home is the safest home for children and teens. Having a gun in the home doubles an individual’s risk for homicide and triples the risk of suicide. If guns are present in the home, they must be safely stored to help prevent firearm deaths and injuries. The voluntary gun buyback and safe firearm storage events in the participating communities will offer an opportunity for gun owners to safely remove their unwanted weapons from their homes and communities. These events will also promote gun safety and safe firearm storage. For gun owners who want to keep their guns but seek a responsible way to better secure their weapons, a limited supply of biometric gun safes will be provided free of charge to those with a valid gun permit.
The buyback and safe giveaway events in Guilford, Hartford, Newtown and Waterbury are 100% anonymous; therefore, IDs are not required and no questions will be asked. IDs will be required at the Norwalk buyback event.
The gun buyback and gun safe storage giveaway day is an important community safety initiative that will help gun owners and their family members to dispose of unwanted and/or unsecured guns to help reduce the risk of homicides, suicides, unintentional shootings, domestic violence, and keep guns from getting into the wrong hands - such as children, individuals who may be facing a mental health crisis, individuals with dementia, perpetrators of domestic violence, and criminals.
The buybacks will provide gift cards to individuals who turn in an operable firearm.
***Guns must be transported in the trunk of the car
***Non-operable guns, BB Guns, & Ammunition are welcome, but no gift cards will be exchanged for these items
$25: Single & Double Shot (Derringer-Style) Handguns
& Any Type of Black Powder Guns
$50: Rifles & Shotguns
$100: Pistol & Revolver Handguns
$200: Assault Weapons (Per CT Summary of Gun Laws. To Be Determined by Police. No Newly Sawed-Off Shotguns)
Guns must be delivered unloaded in clear plastic bags, and any ammunition must be delivered in a separate bag in the trunk of the car. Please note: COVID-19 guidelines will be strictly enforced. All participants must wear a mask and comply with all social distancing guidelines.
Many communities in Connecticut have held successful gun buyback events in the past. Last year, Guilford police collected 198 firearms, which included: 21 BB/pellet guns, 3 Derringer types, 90 handguns, 79 rifles and 5 assault weapons. In June, Hartford police collected a total of 59 guns including 41 handguns, 8 rifles, 9 shotguns, and one assault rifle. This June, Waterbury police collected 32 guns including 23 handguns and 9 long guns. Newtown police is holding its first event this year.
Other communities, corporations, hospitals, police departments, or individuals who are interested in sponsoring and/or funding a buyback and safe giveaway event are encouraged to contact Po Murray at pmurray@newtownaction.org or Kristin Song at ks@getcontrol.net for more information.
WHEN:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2021 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (RAIN OR SHINE)
WHERE:
GUILFORD POLICE DEPT 400 Church St (Anonymous, No ID, No Question Asked)
HARTFORD POLICE DEPT Location TBD (Anonymous, No ID, No Question Asked)
NEWTOWN POLICE DEPT 191 S. Main St (Anonymous, No ID, No Question Asked)
NORWALK POLICE DEPT 1 Monroe St (ID required)
WATERBURY POLICE DEPT Location TBD (Anonymous, No ID, No Question Asked)
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The Campaign to Keep Kids Safe (CKKS) was established by the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation
and the Ethan Miller Song Foundation as an educational program for parents, educators & healthcare professionals to reduce unintentional shootings among children and childhood gun suicides and homicides in America; to provide gun safes to gun owners; and promote community gun buyback opportunities.
Newtown Action Alliance Foundation (NAAF) was established after 20 children and six educators were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2021. NAAF provides comfort, education, scholarship, support and resources to people and communities impacted by gun violence in America. Our goal is to help all American communities move forward together to create a positive cultural change towards a more peaceful, less violent future.
Ethan Miller Song Foundation was formed to honor Ethan Miller Song. Ethan died in his best friend’s house. Unbeknownst to Ethan’s parents the best friend’s father stored three unsecured guns with the ammunition in a shoebox. Ethan was killed on January 31, 2018, he had just turned 15-year-old. The Ethan Miller Song Foundation’s mission is to develop and support programs and causes that keep kids safe, rescue abused/neglected animals and honor our veterans - all things close to Ethan’s heart.
Swords to Plowshares Northeast (S2PNE) is a non-profit organization (501c3) specializing in gun violence prevention, Gun Buyback Programs, safe gun storage and the transformation of guns into gardening tools and jewelry. In partnership with local police departments, and other organizations, we repurpose weapons that have been collected at Gun Buybacks and convert them into gardening tools and jewelry. These tools have been donated to community gardens and agricultural high schools. The gardens are then harvested and the food turned over to soup kitchens, shelters and those most in need. Our team has over 10 years’ experience organizing community Gun Buyback events and collecting data. S2PNE has overseen over 25 Gun Buyback events throughout CT and nationwide; Transforming weapons of death into tools to sustain life.
Violent Crime Survivors is a community-led, survivor-centered, wrap-around organization supporting victims and survivors of violent crime by fostering a community of resources to support survivorship and justice while shaping public safety policy and creating change.
Mothers United Against Violence has been in existence since 2003 and is a 501c(3) dedicated to providing the support and direct services to families who have been impacted by gun violence and to serve the underserved population throughout various communities throughout the state. It has held marches, rallies, vigils and antiviolence activities and have offered intervention strategies for the community at large. MUAV provides direct services to victims of crime in underserved communities where the ongoing support at present is minimal and for the general community. This includes direct services in the areas of crisis intervention, advocacy, compassion, support for victims navigating through various to secure services, providing direction for short term needs, food, shelter, clothing and transportation.
CT Against Gun Violence Education Fund is a 501c3 (non-profit) organization whose mission is to end gun violence in Connecticut. The CAGV Ed Fund educates the public, elected officials, community leaders and the media about the public health crisis of gun violence in Connecticut, and works to create and implement policies and programs to reduce gun violence in all of its forms, including community gun violence, firearm suicide, domestic violence and unintentional shootings. CAGV Ed Fund programs raise awareness about actions individuals can take to prevent gun violence in their homes and communities—such as safe storage of firearms and using Connecticut’s Extreme Risk Protection Order to remove firearms from individuals who are at risk of imminent harm to themselves or others. The CAGV Ed Fund works in collaboration with CT Against Gun Violence, Inc., that works to make Connecticut safe from gun violence through legislative advocacy, public education and grassroots engagement.
Connecticut Children’s is the only hospital in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children and ranked one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and a Magnet® designated hospital. Connecticut Children’s provides more than 30 pediatric specialties along with community-based programs to uniquely care for the physical, social, and emotional needs of children. Our team of pediatric experts and care coordinators bring access to breakthrough research, advanced treatments for both rare and common diseases, and innovative health and safety programs to every child. Connecticut Children’s is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to improve access to healthcare for all children through convenient locations, care alliances and partnerships.
Saint Francis Hospital has been an anchor institution in Connecticut since 1897. Saint Francis is a member of Trinity Health Of New England and Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Saint Francis Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, is a 617-bed hospital, a major teaching hospital, and the largest Catholic hospital in New England. Other Saint Francis entities include the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center, the Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute, the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, the Smilow Cancer Hospital Yale-New Haven at Saint Francis, Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, and Community Health and Well Being, which includes the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry, and the Greater Hartford Family Advocacy Center. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SaintFrancisCT