Help end local gun violence
Tonight at the Lexington City Council meeting, Mayor Jason Hayes will read and present a proclamation in recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Month to JLD Community Solutions President Angela McDuffie and Co-Founder and Executive Director Dia Nyarko.
June 3, 2023 marked a significant achievement for JLD Community Solutions as they hosted their very first gun violence awareness event, the "Community Against Gun Violence Block Party." The day began with a walk against gun violence and later featured speakers, entertainment and vendors that made a lasting impact on the community.
This year, JLD Community Solutions extend an invitation to the community to join an upcoming event "Try Love: Community Against Gun Violence".
“In light of recent events affecting the community, we feel it is crucial to raise awareness about the devastating effects of gun violence and advocate for change. It is our goal to inspire the community to intentionally incorporate acts of love and kindness in our everyday lives. Integrating love and kindness into daily life cultivates a culture of peace, empathy, and mutual respect, which are foundational elements in preventing violence and building safer communities,” said JLD Community Solutions.
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Last week, Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed June 3 as Gun Violence Awareness Day to raise awareness and remember the lives of those lost to gun violence.
“We cannot forget these tragedies when they fade from the news,” said Governor Cooper. “I’ve taken Executive action to help in North Carolina, but we can do more. It’s past time for common sense reforms that must take place at the congressional and legislative levels - stronger background checks, red flag laws, banning assault weapons and community violence interventions so that we can prevent these horrific events.”
North Carolina has the 17th highest rate of gun deaths in the nation with an average of more than 1,300 gun deaths each year.
At Governor Cooper’s direction, North Carolina added more than 280,000 criminal convictions to the background check system. He also took executive action in 2019 that requires state agencies to take increased action on closing crime reporting gaps between state and federal agencies and expands firearm safety education.
The Governor’s recommended budget proposal for FY 2022-23 budget provides $38.7 million to enhance community and school safety statewide, including $20 million to the Department of Public Instruction to create average daily membership-based school safety grants and make the competitive school safety grants in last year’s budget permanent.
Governor Cooper’s budget recommendations also includes $5 million for violence intervention grants, $2.5 million recurring for violence education and prevention programming for at risk and juvenile justice-involved youth, $1 million for the purchase of gun locks and $200,000 for a safe storage campaign and administrative costs of distribution of gun locks.
The Governor supports increased investment in community violence intervention programs. Community violence intervention and prevention initiatives focus on individuals at the highest risk of violence and use prevention and intervention strategies to reduce violence and retaliation. Governor Cooper has included violence intervention as a top funding priority for the Governor’s Crime Commission and recently proposed $5 million for community violence intervention grants.
