Connecticut Statewide Gun Buyback and Gun Safe Giveaway Day Planned for October 5

The fourth annual #KeepKidsSafe Statewide Gun Buyback and Gun Safe Giveaway Day is planned for Saturday, October 5, 2024.  Many hospitals, local police departments, and communities across the state are working together to sponsor this annual event, which encourages communities to host voluntary gun buyback and biometric gun safe giveaway events.  The events are intended to offer an opportunity for gun owners to remove unwanted weapons safely from their homes and communities and elevate discussions around gun safety and safe firearm storage practices.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has provided an additional 600 gun safes and 1,500 cable locks for distribution.  Most participating locations will hold their gun buyback and gun safe giveaways from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5.  The buybacks will provide gift cards to individuals who turn in an operable firearm, and some participating organizations will offer a limited supply of free pin code gun safes to individuals with pistol permits.

Newtown Action Alliance encourages communities to download, print, and distribute pre-made posters to raise awareness about their local gun buyback and gun safe giveaway.  Posters are available here.

The Campaign to Keep Kids Safe (CKKS) was established in 2019 by the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation and the Ethan Miller Song Foundation as an educational program for parents, educators, and 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.

This year’s event sponsors include: Newtown Action Alliance Foundation, Ethan Miller Song Foundation, Humanium Metal, CT Violence Intervention Program, Mothers United Against Violence, Waterbury Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Stamford Health, Waterbury PAL, Project Longevity-Waterbury, City of Waterbury, Saint Francis Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Midstate Medical Center, CT Against Gun Violence Education Fund, Wilton Quaker Meeting, Guilford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Meriden Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Newtown Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, and Waterbury Police Department.

Learn more here.

Click here to view and download the #KeepKidsSafe posters.