PARAMUS, N.J., Sept. 19 -- It's a parent's worst nightmare -- a missing child. It seems we're hearing more about it on the news every day. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), one of the most critical issues that surfaces time and again when a child is reported missing, is a parent's ability to get an up-to-date photo and other pertinent information to the media and law enforcement officials right away. That's why Toys "R" Us is teaming up with the NCMEC to introduce a Digital ID child safety program in all its U.S. toy stores beginning Saturday, September 21.
Here's How it Works
A child's photo is taken at a Toys "R" Us store via a digital camera and logged onto a floppy disk along with relevant data (child's name, age, etc.). The disk is then given to the parent or caregiver who will input additional pertinent information about the child at home. None of the information is retained by Toys "R" Us. Should a missing child emergency ever occur, a parent can disseminate the child's photo and information contained on the disk instantly to those who need it with a click of a button. And pictures of missing children do make a difference in the recovery of a child. According to NCMEC, one out of six missing children is recovered because someone recognized their photographs. In August alone, two missing children were returned home safely because people recognized them from their photos.
Launching on Saturday and continuing each weekend through October 6, Toys "R" Us stores nationwide will provide parents with a free Digital ID floppy disk that can be easily used to print or e-mail their child's photo and pertinent information to law enforcement authorities, friends, relatives, the press and NCMEC in the event of a missing child emergency.
"Toys 'R' Us wants to ensure that parents and caregivers have the means to instantly respond should a missing child emergency arise," said Greg Staley, President Toys "R" Us U.S. "We are pleased to join forces with the experts -- The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children -- in providing this valuable service free to families throughout America. Our biggest hope is that everyone will take advantage of this program, and that no one will ever need to use it."
"Our partnership with Toys 'R' Us provides us with more than 600 locations across the country to get the word out about the effectiveness and importance of a Digital ID," said Ernie Allen, President & CEO, NCMEC. "We deeply appreciate the tremendous support given to us by Toys 'R' Us and we hope that parents around the country will take advantage of this program."
Digital ID is a national program to provide parents with the necessary information and photos in digital form to help authorities find their child in the event of an emergency. Family Trusted Products, LLC created its Digital ID program at the request of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to respond to the need for digital child identification. The Family Trusted Digital ID and the Family Trusted Digital ID Homebased Version are NCMEC's approved form of standard digital identification for children.
Co-founded in 1984 by John Walsh, the private, nonprofit National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) serves as a focal point in providing assistance to parents, children, law enforcement, schools, and the community in recovering missing children and raising public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation. NCMEC has worked on more than 90,000 cases of missing and exploited children, helped recover more than 67,000 children, and raised its recovery rate from 60 percent in the 1980s to 94 percent today, thereby gaining national and international recognition as "the" resource for missing and exploited children.
As the nation's resource center for child protection, NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. NCMEC spends 94 percent of its revenue directly on programs and services. NCMEC is proud of its A+, excellent, rating by the American Institute of Philanthropy Charity Rating Guide, which recommends charities based on percent of money spent on charitable purposes versus administrative expenses. In 1989 NCMEC had a staff of 40. Today NCMEC has developed into an organization with over 200 staff members. Most work provided by NCMEC is conducted, developed, analyzed, and completed on-site at its headquarters utilizing state-of-the-art technology, highly trained professionals, and committed staff, interns, and volunteers.
Toys "R" Us, one of the world's leading retailers of toys, children's apparel and baby products, currently sells merchandise through 1,575 stores worldwide: 688 toy stores in the United States; 521 international toy stores, including franchise stores; 148 Kids "R" Us children's clothing stores, 174 Babies "R" Us stores and 44 Imaginarium stores, and through its Internet sites at http://www.toysrus.com, http://www.babiesrus.com and http://www.imaginarium.com.
