Cambridge Safer Homes, Safer Community: Gift Cards for Guns Day To Take Place June 13

Led by Cambridge’s interfaith-based organizations, the Cambridge non-profit community and regional partners are proactively teaming up and introducing a citywide “Safer Homes, Safer Community: Gift Cards for Guns” initiative on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This public health and public safety event will provide residents with an opportunity to anonymously and safely dispose of their unwanted firearms and, in turn, reduce the potential for an accidental discharge or wrongdoing in a home.  

Gift Cards for Guns drop-off locations will provide a safe, convenient way for participants to drop off unwanted guns with no questions asked and no ID required.  The drop-off locations are:

Greater Boston Vineyard Church
170 Rindge Ave, Cambridge
Drop-off: Parking lot in front of the church

Pentecostal Tabernacle
77 Columbia Street (near Central Square)
Drop off:  Church parking lot

Cambridge Police and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office will be managing both sites and handling the guns turned in, and the State Police will destroy the guns. For added convenience, the Cambridge Police will be available to pick-up firearms at a Cambridge residence, if interested participants are not able or have concerns about physically dropping off unwanted firearms. To schedule a pickup, please call 617-349-3300.

As an incentive to participate, residents will be awarded gift cards for each firearm they turn into public safety officers on the day of the event.  The values range depending on the firearm type:

$200 gift card                     Assault Weapon
$100 gift card                     Revolver, Handgun, Semi-Automatic, Shotgun, Rifle
$50 gift card                        BB Gun, Pellet Gun, Ammunition

For those who cannot attend the event, gift cards will be honored if pickups are scheduled during the week leading up to June 13th Gifts Cards for Guns event.

“Unwanted and unsecure guns in homes can pose a serious risk to children, people with mental illness and those at risk from domestic violence,” stated Lori Lander, founding organizer at Many Helping Hands and an instrumental leader in the planning of this event. “Gift Cards for Guns is an important initiative that we hope will lead to safer homes and a safer community.”

“It takes only one gun incident to result in tragedy,” said Claude Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer, and director of the Cambridge Public Health Department. "Study after study shows that guns in the house can put family members in harm’s way, “ Jacob added, noting that access to firearms in the home is associated with risk for suicide and being the victim of a domestic violence homicide.

“In the U.S., more than 19,000 people commit suicide with guns each year and another 16,000 are injured in unintentional shootings.  Providing residents with a way to safely dispose of unwanted firearms makes our homes and communities safer,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, whose office has participated in gun buy backs in six towns since 2013, helping Arlington, Belmont, Burlington, Melrose, Somerville and Waltham safely collect and dispose of more than 200 unwanted firearms.

For more information on Cambridge’s Gift Cards for Guns, please visit camb.ma/GiftCardsforGuns. If you or your organization is interested in becoming involved in the event (e.g. donate gift cards, volunteer at the event or help post flyers in advance of the event), please e-mail lori@manyhelpinghands365.org.   

The following Cambridge interfaith organizations and community partners are collaborating on this important initiative: Abundant Life Church, A Place to Heal Ministry, Cambridgeport Baptist Church, Cambridge Community Fellowship Church, Congregation Eitz Chayim, Christ Church, First Church in Cambridge Congregational, First Holiness Church, Islamic Society of Boston in Cambridge, Journey Church, Pentecostal Tabernacle, Rush AME Zion Church, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Temple Beth Shalom, Union Baptist Church, Greater Boston Vineyard Church, Cambridge Community Arts Center, Cambridge Community Foundation, Cambridge Community Center, Cambridge Peace Commission, East End House, Many Helping Hands, Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Cambridge Police Department, Cambridge Public Health Department, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, and more.

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