CLEVELAND -- The cities of Cleveland and Akron got more than 1,000 firearms off the streets in gun buy-back events this weekend.

The city of Cleveland's 2008 gun buy-back program netted 324 firearms Saturday at the Cleveland Convention Center, Lt. Thomas Stacho said. Last year, police collected 421 firearms.

In exchange for operable handguns, citizens got a $50 gas or food gift card, two tickets to a Cavs game and were entered into a raffle to win up to $1,000.

Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Akron said it collected about 580 guns on Friday and almost 200 on Saturday as part of its Goods for Guns buyback program.

Anyone who brought in a firearm received a $100 grocery card from Acme Fresh Markets.

The weapons, which will be destroyed, were loaded into a large plastic garbage can.

The Rev. Marc Neal said he thinks the program will help prevent accidental shootings at home. Neal said each year there are about 4,800 accidental shootings in the United States.

Sponsors of the Akron buy-back program included Akron police, Crime Stoppers, Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church and HFA Marketing Communications.

The Cleveland program was sponsored by the Cleveland police, ArcelorMittal, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Society.