Guns to Gardens Gun Buyback

This year the innovative Guns to Gardens gun buyback will again be at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1203 Willow St., Oakland. It will be from noon til 4PM Saturday November 15. This innovative program, sponsored by Mt. Zion Baptist Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Oakland, many other faith leaders, and supported by the Oakland Police Department, is centered in Isiah 2:4 “and they shall forge their swords into plowshares” so the guns that are turned in are forged into garden tools. Each person turning in a gun will receive a gift card (up to $300) and a garden tool forged from a gun that was turned in at last year’s Guns to Gardens event.

This year Guns to Gardens is not asking for contributions because we had funds left over from last year. Instead we are asking: Please help us get the word out! Having a gun in the home increases the risk of death from homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings, affecting all members of the household, including children. Studies show a significantly higher rate of violent deaths, particularly suicides and homicides, for people living in homes with firearms compared to those in gun-free homes. Additionally, guns in the home are prime targets for thieves, who can then use them for crimes. Please help us encourage all to get any guns out of their homes and the homes of their neighbors and friends, and bring them to the Mt. Zion parking lot on Nov. 15 knowing that they will be forged into garden tools, and get a gift card and a garden tool that was forged from a gun. Please post the flyer on your social media, in newsletters, and also we can deliver copies to you for you to post everywhere!