''Groceries for Guns'' Turn-In Event is Saturday in West Phila.

   
by KYW's Michelle Durham

Saying they are sickened by recent gun violence in the city, community activists and business owners were preparing to host another gun turn-in event in West Philadelphia on Saturday -- the day before Father's Day.

The organizers on Friday made their announcement in North Philadelphia, in front of the "Salute to Fatherhood" mural at Broad Street and Glenwood Avenue.

The event will be at 4950 Parkside Avenue, the office of state senator Vincent Hughes (D-Phila.), on Saturday from 10am to 3pm on Saturday.

Jeff Brown's family owns 11 Shop Rite supermarkets in Philadelphia:

"Our Shop Rites will fund a $100 Shop Rite gift card for every gun that is turned into the Philadelphia Police Department tomorrow. They can immediately redeem that gift card for something positive -- a meal for their family. We will take every gun that comes in."

And Brown says they'll provide gift cards for every gun that's turned in to police on Saturday, regardless of whether it's at the West Philadelphia event (no questions asked).

Bilal Abdul Qayyum, of the Philadelphia Father's Day Rally Committee, says this program does work:

"A young woman found a gun in her house.  She knew it wasn't hers -- it was her 16-year-old son that had it, who shouldn't have had it. She turned it in."

Vernon (no last name given) from North Philadelphia thinks the event is a good idea:

"We have young kids growing up around here getting shot, and lot of guns in people's houses. So it really affects a lot of people around here."

(Photo by KYW's Michelle Durham)