Collingswood proclaims National Gun Violence Awareness Day, urges residents to "wear orange"

Collingswood’s mayor read a proclamation declaring the first Friday in June 2026 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and urged residents to wear orange in support of victims and survivors.

The proclamation cited national figures — about 120 lives lost to gun violence each day and roughly 43,000 deaths annually — and said New Jersey sees about 427 gun deaths per year, with a rate near 4.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. The declaration linked the local observance to national efforts and the memory of victims, and it encouraged attendance at community events and use of resources such as Moms Demand Action.

“We can beat this. We absolutely can,” the mayor said during remarks about local awareness activities and volunteers. The mayor highlighted a free community event described as a wear-orange night at a waterfront location, a resource fair with local organizations and volunteers, and scheduled concerts and family-friendly activities.

Organizers urged residents to check MomsDemandAction.org for research and advocacy materials and to consider attending local events to support survivors and prevention efforts. The proclamation also encouraged local partners and volunteer groups to continue outreach and survivor support programming.

The proclamation does not create a policy change; it establishes an official day of recognition and public outreach. The commission did not take a separate regulatory action at the meeting on this item.