Evanston, IL - On Monday, May 23, Mayor Daniel Biss will read a proclamation declaring May 23 through May 29 as Violence Prevention Week and June 3 as Gun Violence Prevention Day in Evanston. This proclamation will kick off a week of violence prevention lessons at District 65 schools as well as programming throughout Evanston.

In collaboration with the City of Evanston’s Youth & Young Adult Division, District 65 has curated a set of lessons from the Sandy Hook Promise’ campaign called Start with Hello to address a foundational issue related to school violence, loneliness and social isolation. Lessons focus on helping adolescents to identify the experience of social isolation within themselves and others. The program also provides students with strategies to reach out and help classmates that can have a profound impact on school culture.

The City will also host an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony at the Gibbs Morrison Cultural Center, located at 1823 Church Street, on Tuesday, May 24, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., to celebrate the opening of the new Teen Center. Participants will enjoy free hot dogs, ice cream and chips on a first-come, first-served basis as well as a Violence Prevention Week activity. The new Teen Center will officially open on Monday, May 23 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All local school and community partners are encouraged to participate in Violence Prevention Week activities and to commit to preventing violence throughout the community. As a visible sign of this commitment, community members are invited to wear orange on Friday, June 3 and join in for the kick off of the City’s My City, Your City, Our City Safe Summer Initiative at Mason Park from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

"As gun violence reaches epidemic levels, across the country, and, tragically, here in Evanston, it is critical that we do our part to keep people safe. We appreciate all of our community partners who are working diligently and collaboratively on anti-violence initiatives and rededicate  ourselves to this work, during Violence Prevention Week and beyond," said Mayor Biss.

For more information, please call or text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston. You may also visit about the overall Safe Summer Initiative.