Trees planted in honor of young people who lost their lives to gun violence

An average of 700 young people, less than 25 years of age, are directly affected by gun violence in Denver annually, according to Denver Public Health’s Youth Violence 2019 report. 

Since 2016, Denver has lost 200 young people to gun violence. In honor of each one of those perished lives, The McBride Impact, Holleran Group, Westside and several other organizations planted 200 trees in Park Hill Golf Club during the first weekend of May. 

They chose Park Hill because according to the same Public Health report, there is a higher concentration of youth gun violence in that neighborhood and early intervention has a disproportionate impact on future gun-related crimes.

 “These trees represent young people that were killed with gun violence in the city of Denver. 200 young people since 2016. That number alone should elicit change,” said Jason McBride one of the masterminds behind this project they’re calling Mending Roots Forest.

 “If the blood of our children friends, and loved ones is not currency enough for change then how much does our community have to pay”?