Dr. Michael Hirsch on Worcester’s “Guns to Gardens” Program
By-Hank Stolz
Photo-submitted
WORCESTER, MA-Dr. Michael Hirsch joined Talk of the Commonwealth to discuss the upcoming annual Guns to Gardens gun buyback program in Worcester, now entering its 24th year. Hirsch founded the program in 2002 with a public-health mission: to remove unsecured firearms from homes where they could contribute to accidental shootings, suicides, domestic violence incidents, or tragedies involving children.
Hirsch emphasized that the program is voluntary, non-confrontational, and not a challenge to the Second Amendment. Its purpose is to provide a safe disposal option for guns people no longer want in their homes. Over the past two decades, the initiative has collected nearly 5,000 firearms.
He outlined the logistics for the upcoming event, noting partnerships with the Worcester Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and police departments in Charlton, Fitchburg, Northborough, and Milford. Participants receive grocery store gift cards in exchange for surrendered weapons, and the buyback operates under a “no questions asked” policy with full amnesty.
The “Gardens” element remains one of the program’s most unique features: once collected, the guns are destroyed and forged into garden tools by blacksmiths and vocational students. These tools are later used in community gardens, turning symbols of violence into instruments of growth and nourishment.
In Worcester, drop-off locations and times include:
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Worcester Police Headquarters — Saturday, 9 AM to 1 PM
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10 Ararat Street (City Welding & Fabrication) — Saturday, 9 AM to 1 PM
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