Program Launches High Tech Initiatives to Maximize Participation
Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Superintendent in Chief Al Goslin, in conjunction with the Boston Police Department and numerous community and faith-based organizations, is pleased to announce that the 2006 Boston Gun Buyback “Aim For Peace” is exceeding expectations. As of today, the program has netted 382 firearms.
“The gun buyback program is off to an encouraging start,” Mayor Menino said. “We are confident that this program is sending a strong message that violence on the streets of Boston will not be tolerated.I am pleased that the community is coming forward in this effort to get guns off the streets and I look forward to the continued success of the program.”
With two weeks remaining, program coordinators continue to seek new and innovative ways to heighten awareness, increase participation and continue to spread a message of peace. Fresh from the release of the City\’s first Podcast and the unveiling of 30 ClearChannel billboards, “Aim for Peace” is utilizing high tech outreach specifically geared to engage Boston’s youth.
One initiative includes the Boston Buyback blog at http://www.bostonbuyback.org. This website contains regular updates, announcements and photos about the progress of the Buyback, as well as related initiatives, such as the \”Start Peace\” hip hop campaign.
Similar to the Boston Police Department blog http://www.bpdnews.com, the Buyback blog allows for the rapid and easy sharing of information with the public and the many “Aim for Peace” volunteers. Users are allowed to post \”blog comments\”, including questions, ideas, anecdotes and more.
A second internet initiative includes a profile on the popular social networking site MySpace.com. The page is located at http://www.myspace.com/bostonbuyback, and has already collected over 100 MySpace \”friends\” and has been viewed over 500 times. \”Friends\” of the Buyback on MySpace include local high school students, hip hop artists and community activists. “Aim for Peace” has joined MySpace because of its enormous popularity with young people and its force in youth culture.
\”We hope to reach Boston youth on MySpace who have firearms or know someone with one,\” stated Jed Hresko of the Chops Porter Institute, a volunteer who is serving as web-master for both sites, \”but we also want to reach a much broader community of supporters from Boston and the metropolitan area who can spread the message of nonviolence and generate donations. My personal hope is to replicate what happened in the 90\’s buybacks with grassroots donations, such as suburban kids on MySpace taking up a $200 collection to get one gun off the street.\”
“We are confident that the gun buyback message is resonating with the community. We know that Grandmothers and other family members have been inspired to turn in guns owned by their children,” commented Reverend Shawn Harrison, Youth in Crisis Ministry, “We must continue to do everything possible to end senseless gun violence and I encourage individuals to maintain the momentum of the program’s success.”
A hotline, 1-888-GUNTIPS, has been established for individuals who do not wish to deliver a firearm to a designated location and would like to arrange for a private exchange. The hotline is also available for neighbors who wish to provide information related to criminal activity or can provide information leading to the whereabouts of a “community” firearm.
For a complete list of official drop-off sites as well as turn-in protocol, please visit www.cityofboston.gov/AimForPeace. *
Community partners include: Target Corporation, Project RIGHT Inc., Boston Ten Point Coalition, Hyde Square Task Force, Katherine Mainzer-Bella Luna Restaurant, Lewis S. Dabney-Million Mom March, Bowdoin Street Health Center, Quincy Geneva Housing Corporation, Boston Center for Youth and Families, Dorchester Youth Collaborative, St. Catherine Rectory, Charlie Rose-City Year, Urban Youth in Leadership Program, Urban Edge, Hope Church, Ella J. Baker House, Mass Communities Action Network, Roxbury Multi-Service Center, Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, WinnResidential, Grove Hall Youth Workers Alliance, Michael Patrick MacDonald, United Church of Christ, Church of Scientology, Sandler Lacoste-Boogs Wear, Inc, Boston Housing Authority, City Links, Youth in Crisis Ministry, Inc, Streetworker Program, WFXT Fox 25, the Boston Herald, Community Newspaper Company, WILD 1090 AM, the Bulletin Newspapers, ClearChannel, the MBTA, the Dorchester Reporter, the Mattapan Reporter, the Charlestown Bridge

*NOTE: the original posting listed an incorrect address for the Aim for Peace web site. The posting has since been changed to include the correct address. (www.cityofboston.gov/AimForPeace)

Program Launches High Tech Initiatives to Maximize Participation
Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Superintendent in Chief Al Goslin, in conjunction with the Boston Police Department and numerous community and faith-based organizations, is pleased to announce that the 2006 Boston Gun Buyback “Aim For Peace” is exceeding expectations. As of today, the program has netted 382 firearms.
“The gun buyback program is off to an encouraging start,” Mayor Menino said. “We are confident that this program is sending a strong message that violence on the streets of Boston will not be tolerated.I am pleased that the community is coming forward in this effort to get guns off the streets and I look forward to the continued success of the program.”
With two weeks remaining, program coordinators continue to seek new and innovative ways to heighten awareness, increase participation and continue to spread a message of peace. Fresh from the release of the City\’s first Podcast and the unveiling of 30 ClearChannel billboards, “Aim for Peace” is utilizing high tech outreach specifically geared to engage Boston’s youth.
One initiative includes the Boston Buyback blog at http://www.bostonbuyback.org. This website contains regular updates, announcements and photos about the progress of the Buyback, as well as related initiatives, such as the \”Start Peace\” hip hop campaign.
Similar to the Boston Police Department blog http://www.bpdnews.com, the Buyback blog allows for the rapid and easy sharing of information with the public and the many “Aim for Peace” volunteers. Users are allowed to post \”blog comments\”, including questions, ideas, anecdotes and more.
A second internet initiative includes a profile on the popular social networking site MySpace.com. The page is located at http://www.myspace.com/bostonbuyback, and has already collected over 100 MySpace \”friends\” and has been viewed over 500 times. \”Friends\” of the Buyback on MySpace include local high school students, hip hop artists and community activists. “Aim for Peace” has joined MySpace because of its enormous popularity with young people and its force in youth culture.
\”We hope to reach Boston youth on MySpace who have firearms or know someone with one,\” stated Jed Hresko of the Chops Porter Institute, a volunteer who is serving as web-master for both sites, \”but we also want to reach a much broader community of supporters from Boston and the metropolitan area who can spread the message of nonviolence and generate donations. My personal hope is to replicate what happened in the 90\’s buybacks with grassroots donations, such as suburban kids on MySpace taking up a $200 collection to get one gun off the street.\”
“We are confident that the gun buyback message is resonating with the community. We know that Grandmothers and other family members have been inspired to turn in guns owned by their children,” commented Reverend Shawn Harrison, Youth in Crisis Ministry, “We must continue to do everything possible to end senseless gun violence and I encourage individuals to maintain the momentum of the program’s success.”
A hotline, 1-888-GUNTIPS, has been established for individuals who do not wish to deliver a firearm to a designated location and would like to arrange for a private exchange. The hotline is also available for neighbors who wish to provide information related to criminal activity or can provide information leading to the whereabouts of a “community” firearm.
For a complete list of official drop-off sites as well as turn-in protocol, please visit www.cityofboston.gov/AimForPeace. *
Community partners include: Target Corporation, Project RIGHT Inc., Boston Ten Point Coalition, Hyde Square Task Force, Katherine Mainzer-Bella Luna Restaurant, Lewis S. Dabney-Million Mom March, Bowdoin Street Health Center, Quincy Geneva Housing Corporation, Boston Center for Youth and Families, Dorchester Youth Collaborative, St. Catherine Rectory, Charlie Rose-City Year, Urban Youth in Leadership Program, Urban Edge, Hope Church, Ella J. Baker House, Mass Communities Action Network, Roxbury Multi-Service Center, Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, WinnResidential, Grove Hall Youth Workers Alliance, Michael Patrick MacDonald, United Church of Christ, Church of Scientology, Sandler Lacoste-Boogs Wear, Inc, Boston Housing Authority, City Links, Youth in Crisis Ministry, Inc, Streetworker Program, WFXT Fox 25, the Boston Herald, Community Newspaper Company, WILD 1090 AM, the Bulletin Newspapers, ClearChannel, the MBTA, the Dorchester Reporter, the Mattapan Reporter, the Charlestown Bridge

*NOTE: the original posting listed an incorrect address for the Aim for Peace web site. The posting has since been changed to include the correct address. (www.cityofboston.gov/AimForPeace)