Join us for our third annual gun lockbox giveaway events
Everyone in King County deserves to live in communities that are hopeful, safe, healthy, and thriving. In honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day this June 2, 2023, Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Regional Gun Violence program is partnering with community organizations to host gun lockbox giveaway events throughout the county. Our shared goal is to promote gun safety and raise awareness of community organizations working to address gun violence in our region.
Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the US. Over the past three years, we have seen an uptick in the number of firearm-related injuries and deaths in King County, in places where we all live, play and learn.
Gun violence is not inevitable, it is preventable, and in our region, we recognize that gun violence is a public health emergency. We each have a role in ending it.
Local lockbox giveaways on National Gun Violence Awareness Day
This Friday, June 2, is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, kicking off “Wear Orange” Weekend through June 4. During Wear Orange Weekend, communities across King County and the nation come together to remember those injured or lost due to gun violence and take action toward a future free of gun violence.
To commemorate this movement, on Friday, June 2, the Public Health’s Regional Gun Violence program’s Regional Peacekeepers Collective, in partnership with community-based organizations, will host events throughout King County. Each event will feature remarks from community safety experts and local government leaders, gun safety education, and free handgun lockbox giveaways. These events are free and open to all, and lockboxes will be distributed while supplies last.
Free community lockbox giveaway events:
Seattle Lockbox Giveaway, hosted with Community Passageways
Friday June 2, 2023 I 10:00 am to 11:30 am I Parking lot at 23rd Ave & Jackson Street, Seattle
Skyway Lockbox Giveaway, hosted with Urban Family
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | Grocery Outlet parking lot – 11656 68th Ave S, Seattle
Kent Lockbox Giveaway, hosted with Community Passageways
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | City Hall Square – 220 4th Ave S, Kent
White Center Lockbox Giveaway, hosted with YMCA Alive and Free
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm | Greenbridge Plaza – 9800 8th Avenue SW, Seattle
Rainier Beach Lockbox Giveaway, hosted with Rainer Vista Boys & Girls Club – SE Safety Network
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Safeway parking lot – 9262 Rainier Ave S, Seattle
Gun violence has become a growing concern across the United States, and King County is no exception. National Gun Violence Awareness Day is an important reminder to take action and work together to create safe, healthy communities. Everyone deserves to be safe and well. King County is proud to take part in this important movement.
About Wear Orange Weekend
On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, Hadiya was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s childhood friends decided to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others.
Wear Orange officially began on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday. Since then, Wear Orange has expanded to a period of three days each year: National Gun Violence Awareness Day (the first Friday in June) and Wear Orange Weekend (the accompanying weekend). This year, Wear Orange will take place from June 2-4, 2023 (description courtesy wearorange.org). For more information about Hadiya Pendleton, visit Hadiya’s Promise.
Public Health’s Regional Gun Violence program
The Regional Gun Violence program takes a public health approach to address gun violence in King County. The Regional Gun Violence program collaborates with community leaders, local and state agencies, and national subject matter experts to coordinate and align community violence intervention efforts, partner across systems, and build capacity to sustain lasting community-led solutions to end gun violence. Through initiatives including the Regional Peacekeepers Collective, the program seeks to prevent and eliminate gun violence by centering community leadership to provide life-affirming care and resources to increase community safety and create more equitable health outcomes for all.
Public Health’s Lock It Up program
Safe firearm storage is the best way to prevent unintentional shootings and injury, and firearms from being stolen and misused by others. King County’s Lock It Up program mission is to promote safety in our communities by increasing safe firearm storage.
Everyone who owns firearms can take action by locking up their guns. For more information about gun lockboxes and related resources, visit our Lock It Up program webpage.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by gun violence and needs support, please visit our Community-Based Resource Guide for resources.
More information
- Public Health – Seattle & King County Community-Based Resource Guide
- Public Health – Seattle & King County Lock It Up Program: kingcounty.gov/guns
- Data on the impact of firearms in King County: kingcounty.gov/firearms
Originally published 5/31/2023.