Tickets are on sale now for the concert, which will be held at Chickie Wah Wah on Thursday, June 20, with proceeds benefitting the Gun Safety Program at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS – On Thursday, June 20, Chickie Wah Wah will present a special concert to help raise funds and awareness for Children’s Hospital’s Gun Safety Program, with special performances from musicians Maggie Koerner and Shamarr Allen. Tickets are on sale now for the advanced price of $40 each at www.chnola.org/chickie or by visiting www.chickiewahwah.com.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with performances at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales, along with bar and food sales during the event, will help support the cause. Patrons can also visit a gun safety educational table to learn more about secure gun storage, or to donate.
Guns are the leading cause of death for kids under 18 in Louisiana and across the United States. Last year, Children’s Hospital New Orleans and the New Orleans Health Department launched the Be SMART campaign to urgently educate the community about responsible gun ownership to protect kids and reduce child firearm deaths. Be SMART is a national program designed to help parents and adults normalize conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions to prevent child gun deaths and injuries.
Today, 4.6 million children across the United States live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked. Each year in the US, 350 children gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else—sometimes fatally. And more than 700 children die by suicide with a gun each year.
As part of Children’s Hospital’s Gun Safety Program, more than 1,000 free biometric gun locks have been distributed to Orleans Parish residents over the last year, along with education on how to use them, how to securely store guns, and prevent injury and death among children.
Gun locks have been distributed via community outreach events, and can also be requested on Children’s Hospital’s website at www.chnola.org/besmart, along with education and resources. Funding for the Gun Safety Program has been made possible with support from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the City of New Orleans and Children’s Hospital.
Be SMART and help spread the secure gun storage message to keep kids safe. Visit chnola.org/besmart or besmartforkids.org/Louisiana for tools and resources.
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