June is gun safety month in Cumberland County | Opinion

By Jennifer Webb-McRae

Each day in our nation, thousands of lives are lost to gun violence. The statistics are terrifying: Every year, over 36,000 Americans are killed in acts of gun violence and approximately 100,000 more are shot and injured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They are husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends and colleagues. They are daughters and sons. They are our future leaders and citizens.

In Cumberland County alone, there have been an average of 46 victims of shootings, both fatal and non-fatal, annually since 2015. The number of firearm possession charges for juveniles in the county went from 11 to 21 between 2014 to 2017, a 91 percent increase. What’s more, of 400 Cumberland County youth surveyed, 62 percent said that they could get a gun, and more than 20 percent said that it would be “easy.”

The issue of guns and violence is as complex as it is unsettling. Almost half of homes in America have at least one gun. Most kindergarteners can pull an average handgun’s trigger, and more than half of accidental shooting deaths of youth under 15 years old occur in a friend’s home. Two-thirds of fatal shootings of those under 18 occur by way of a family member or friend.

Guns are prevalent. As a community, what can we do?

— Join hands in raising awareness. In 2016, the Cumberland County Positive Youth Development Coalition (CCPYDC), a county-wide juvenile delinquency prevention effort funded by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and Cumberland County Freeholders, worked with youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Vineland to create a video highlighting the effects of gun violence. They shared this video with officials from throughout the county, urging them to undertake a month-long campaign each June to raise awareness of gun safety and violence. Eleven out of 14 municipalities and the county have adopted June as Gun Safety and Violence Awareness month. Each year, a host of activities are planned to connect local residents with resources, community supports and connections to law enforcement.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 15, Countywide Coffee with a Cop returns to the Cumberland Mall for a family-friendly event of fun activities and educational displays about gun safety and violence prevention measures. Come out to meet Chase and Skye from Paw Patrol, see a police K-9 dog in action, pick up a free child’s bike helmet, and more.

Several corner-store events throughout the county will provide free gun safety kits, health screenings, lead testing kits and more. These Health and Safety Events take place from 1 to 4 pm. Fridays at various locations: June 7, Holly City Cold Cuts, 605 N. 10th St., Millville; June 14, Abbarotes Los Puentes, 147 Irving Ave., Bridgeton; June 22, Downtown Deli, 705 E. Wood St,. Vineland; June 28, Laurel Food Market, 120 N. Laurel St, Bridgeton.

Make a resolution to join this effort and view the full list of activities at CCPYDC.com

— Speak up: On Friday, CCPYDC will join the national movement against gun violence called Wear Orange. This campaign began back in 2013 when a young teen was gunned down in Chicago. Her friends wore the color orange to demand action and raise awareness. Since then, it has served as the defining color of the gun-violence-prevention movement. The more voices that we bring to this issue through social media, and beyond, the greater the impact will be in our fight to end gun violence in our neighborhoods and communities.

Join us Friday and wear orange. Visit wearorange.org/go-orange/ and create your own #wearorange image to share on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to show your support. Feel free to share with CCPYDC Facebook and Instagram pages along with #CC_GunSafety. You can also sign the pledge to end gun violence at the home page of ccpydc.com.

— Offer support. CCPYDC is a community-based coalition made up of a wide cross-section of public and nonprofit organizations, along with young people, who give of their time and talents to help ensure that our youth and families thrive. We invite you to learn more at CCPYDC.com or follow us on Facebook.

Together, we can put an end to senseless gun violence and take back the neighborhoods and communities we know and love, so that our children have a future that is bright, and free from violence.

Jennifer Webb-McRae is the Cumberland County prosecutor.

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