Gun Violence Awareness Month: Join New Jersey Communities in Promoting Gun Safety Awareness
June is Gun Violence Awareness Month and communities across the State are encouraged to participate in National Gun Violence Wear Orange Weekend from June 5–7, 2026. Wear Orange Weekend serves as a national movement dedicated to honoring victims of gun violence and promoting safer communities.
National PTA and New Jersey PTA have advocated for safe and secure storage, supporting research on evidence-based strategies to reduce strategies to reduce gun violence. Firearm injury is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 19, surpassing car accidents, cancer and other diseases. New Jersey PTA invites local PTAs, schools, families, and community members to wear orange and help raise awareness about the importance of gun safety education and responsible firearm storage. As advocates for children and families, PTA leaders can help bring awareness to this important issue through education, conversation, and community engagement.
Ways to Participate Throughout the Month:
Orange is the national color associated with gun violence awareness. Consider encouraging participation through:
- Wearing orange clothing, ribbons, or accessories
- Sharing photos on social media using Wear Orange messaging
- Creating school or community photo campaigns
- Encouraging staff, volunteers, and community leaders to wear orange
- Displaying orange ribbons or awareness materials at community events
- Send your pictures to communications@njpta.org so we can highlight what your PTA is doing on our social media channels.
Free Gun Locks Available
To support safe firearm storage practices, the New Jersey PTA will have free gun locks available while supplies last at the State PTA Office throughout Gun Violence Awareness Month. Local leaders and community members are encouraged to take advantage of this resource and share information about its availability within their communities. Providing secure storage devices is a simple but effective way to help prevent unauthorized access to firearms and reduce the risk of accidental injury.
NJPTA would like to thank Trooper II Warren from the Field Operations Section, New Jersey State Police for providing the gun locks. Please contact NJPTA@NJPTA.org to receive your free gun lock.
For additional resources, visit the National PTA website at https://www.pta.org/home/family-resources/safety/gun-violence-prevention.
