Firearm violence is a public health crisis. Gun injuries are now the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1‑17, surpassing car crashes for the first time in two decades. Firearm injury happens in many forms: self-harm, intimate partner violence, unintentional injury, and community violence, among others. The issue of gun violence in the western and central New York communities is extensive. While it is known that gun violence rates locally and across the country and the region are going down, there were still 1,512 incidents of violent crimes involving a firearm across the 16 counties of western and central New York in 2023. In the regions, the two counties with the highest rates were Erie County with 832 incidents (55%) and Onondaga County with 265 incidents (17.5%).
Pregnant and birthing people, young children, older adults, and their caregivers are often left out of the intervention strategies when it comes to firearm injury prevention. Evidence suggests this needs to change.
- About one-third of American children live in a home with firearms, and of those households, 43% contain at least one unlocked firearm.
- Pregnant women aged 15 through 46 years are more than twice as likely as their non-pregnant counterparts to die from a firearm-related injury.
- 46% of U.S. adults over age 50 say they live in a household with a gun.
Imagine Nonviolence
Imagine Nonviolence is a program that supports community-based initiatives to raise awareness of firearm safety, reduce gun violence, and equip community members with needed knowledge, skills, and resources. Launched in April 2024, Imagine Nonviolence is the Health Foundation’s first program that specifically addresses violence or injury related to firearm use, one of many social determinants that can adversely affect a person’s health.
By building community awareness, providing resources, and increasing firearm safety measures to protect vulnerable individuals—particularly young children, older adults with cognitive and/or physical impairments, and those at risk of violence—we aim to create safer, healthier communities.
Apply for Imagine Nonviolence
The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York is proud to announce the second cohort of Imagine Nonviolence (IN), an initiative to support community-based organizations that are working to raise awareness of firearm safety, reduce the risk of firearm injury, prevent gun violence, and provide resources with the goal of creating safer, healthier communities.
A two-pronged approach
The first phase of Imagine Nonviolence, Close the Gap, focuses on closing the financial gaps for established programs that receive public funding but lack coverage for certain costs due to funding restrictions. In 2024, seven organizations received grants of $5,000 each, and one organization received a $4,000 grant.
The second phase, Expand the Reach, funds innovative and collaborative programs working to reduce the risk of firearm-related injury and death among pregnant people, children under age 5, and older adults in western and central New York. In 2024, seven organizations received grants of up to $15,000 for new projects and programs.
Art and Community: The Story Behind Our Logo
The arts and public health came together to create the visual identity for Imagine Nonviolence. The Health Foundation turned to Alexa and Edreys Wajed of Eat Off Art, a creative agency that brings together artists, educators, and entrepreneurs working to build a more empathetic community.
In this series of three short videos, Alexa and Edreys explain what makes a logo effective and how they used specific design elements to communicate the goals of Imagine Nonviolence. They also share why they chose to become involved with the project.