It was a small group, gathered Wednesday night, December 11, for a candle light prayer vigil, but the Reverend Sue Hand hopes it will grow.

Jackie Jones describes her experience with gun violence. (WSGW News photo by Bill Hewitt)

A chaplain at Ascension Saint Mary’s Hospital, Hand says the gun violence problem is a public health issue and the community needs to come together.

Rev. Hand describes a new, hospital-based group, S.L.I.V.E. ( Saginaw Life Is Valuable Everyday) to assist victims and survivors of gun violence. Volunteers will meet with these people in the emergency room and stay with them as long as needed.

When Jackie Jones’ son and nephew were murdered in 2012, she considered herself a victim of gun violence. Now she calls herself a survivor. She’s a volunteer for ‘Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America’, working to bring the community together to end gun violence.