Who We Are:

The Newton Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative (NGVPC) is a local group in Newton, Massachusetts dedicated to reducing the impact of gun violence in our community. Having successfully advocated for a restrictive zoning ordinance here, we help other towns and cities enact restrictive zoning laws, and advocate for common-sense gun violence prevention initiatives that are aligned with state and national gun violence prevention strategies. We support common sense gun reform to make our communities safer for our families, friends and neighbors.

Our History and Successes:

When we learned about a gun store attempting to opening at 709 Washington Street, near schools, homes and family businesses, we were shocked and outraged. We could not believe that having a gun store in Newton was even possible, and we wanted to change that. So, we founded Stop Gun Stores in Newton.

On June 2, 2021, the Newton City Council passed Ordinance 145-81, making Newton one of the most restrictive cities in the nation for firearms dealers. This ordinance effectively stopped Newton Firearms from opening at 709 Washington Street and put in place strong protections for our city moving forward.

With the ordinance passed, we expanded our scope so we could continue to harness the voices of Newton residents to enact local and state level policies to impact gun violence across the country. 

In 2022, we advocated for the passage of a ban on firing pellet guns and air rifles in Newton and have successfully advocated for increased safe gun storage education in the schools and in the city. We will continue to work collaboratively with city and school departments to advance additional gun violence prevention measures.

Leadership:

Laura Towvim, Heather Tausig, Ali Wolf, and Kate Wissel co-founded the Newton Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative in 2021 after successfully advocating for more restrictive zoning of gun stores in our city. Collectively, we bring decades of professional and volunteer experience in gun violence prevention advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels to this work, and are committed to ensuring that Newton continues to enact the programs and policies necessary to keep our residents safe from the threat of gun violence.

Contact Us:

Email info@newtongunviolenceprevention.org

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