Gun Safety Awareness Forum Resources
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Guns are the leading cause of death for children, according to the CDC, creating an urgent need to discuss gun safety. PIX11 is partnering with Northwell Health for a virtual town hall to discuss ways to help keep children in NYC neighborhoods safe.
To learn more about gun safety and awareness, visit Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention.
Northwell Health, New York state’s largest health system, is encouraging parents to ask others about the status of guns in their homes.
They have just released a new gun safety awareness commercial campaign called “It doesn’t kill to ask.”
STARTLING STATISTICS
In the state of New York, there were 1,052 firearm deaths in 2020, according to the CDC.
Between 2019 and 2020, the firearm homicide rate increased by about 35%, the CDC reports.
Why is this happening?
The reasons for the increasing rates and widening disparities are likely complex, according to the CDC.
Multiple stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the increases, including:
- Changes and disruptions to services and education
- Mental stress
- Social isolation
- Economic stressors, including job loss, housing instability, and difficulty covering daily expenses
HEAR THEIR STORIES
VICTIM'S FAMILY WORKS TO PREVENT NYC GUN VIOLENCE
Oresa Napper-Williams, the executive director of Not Another Child, founded the organization after the murder of her son Andrell in 2006. He was the victim of a stray bullet fired from a gun held by a 15-year-old.
BRONX RESIDENTS MARCH TO END GUN VIOLENCE
Students and teachers called for justice after two students were shot within blocks from their school in the Bronx. Families dressed in orange and shut down Saint Ann’s Avenue during a march to send a message: stop the violence.
BROOKLYN MOM HONORS SLAIN WITH ART EXHIBIT AT LIBRARY
Michelle Barnes-Anderson has lived a mother’s worst nightmare; her only child was murdered in Brooklyn nearly five years ago. She's on a mission to heal not only herself but also her community through art.
NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: GOSO
The non-profit organization GOSO, Getting Out Staying Out, partners with people impacted by incarceration to support a culture of nonviolence within NYC communities.
Support programs focus on success in three key areas: education, employment, and emotional well-being. Their approach is person-centered, tailoring services to meet the individual abilities and needs of each participant.
Their mission focuses on assisting participants to achieve their personal and professional goals and avoid (re)involvement in the criminal justice system. GOSO’s Community Program has been based in East Harlem since 2005.
Learn more about GOSO's work at https://www.gosonyc.org/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
https://www.northwell.edu/center-for-gun-violence-prevention/community-resources
https://thewell.northwell.edu/parenting/gun-safety-in-the-home
https://thewell.northwell.edu/culturally-relevant-stories/gun-violence
https://thewell.northwell.edu/culturally-relevant-stories/coping-with-gun-violence
https://thewell.northwell.edu/culturally-relevant-stories/gun-violence-survivor
https://thewell.northwell.edu/culturally-relevant-stories/adressing-a-gun-in-the-house
To learn more about ways to stop gun violence, visit Northwell Health's Center for Gun Violence Prevention.