The site includes a tribute to Gabe Zimmerman.

In an effort to honor social workers who have lost their lives while performing their social work duties, the NASW Foundation has started a memorial Web page.

Robert Carter Arnold, director of the NASW Foundation, said hosting an interactive Web page for the victims offers people around the world an opportunity to learn more about these special social workers and the chance to post comments and condolences.

“Even if you are not a social worker, you can read the profiles and if you were moved by someone’s story, you can write a comment,” Arnold said.

Each person honored has a group of links highlighting his or her career.

The latest entry in the memorial is social worker Gabe Zimmerman, who was killed at a Tucson public event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in January.

Zimmerman was the Giffords’ director of community outreach. His profile features links to an NASW news release, a SocialWorkersSpeak.org article and a National Public Radio story about his life.

As an example of how far NASW’s activities reach around the world, a person from Melbourne, Australia, wrote comments on the Social Work Speaks blog in relation to the story about Zimmerman’s death. She stated, “RIP to all that so tragically lost their lives in this, another senseless shooting. Thinking of all of you.”

NASW President and Foundation Board member James J. Kelly, along with NASW Executive Director and Foundation President Elizabeth J. Clark and the NASW Social Work Pioneersw, provided leadership for the memorial project, Arnold said.

The Web page provides a link to Kelly’s October 2010 NASW News column that outlines the importance of advocating for social work safety. Kelly wrote that a memorial to the social workers who have lost their lives while on the job is a “way to express our gratitude for their service and to remind others why safety is such an important issue in our field.”

The Web page also features a link to NASW’s actions for social work safety through its Social Work Reinvestment Initiative.

Visit Memorial to Social Workers...