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| National Child Identification Program |
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The National Child Identification Program (NCIDP) is a community service initiative dedicated to lowering the number of missing children in the United States by providing parents with a tool that can help protect their children.
The I.D. Kits allow parents to collect specific information on their children by easily printing the physical characteristics and fingerprints of their children on identification cards that are then kept at home. If ever needed, the I.D. Kit will give authorities essential information to assist their efforts to locate the missing child.
Each kit consists of an inkless fingerprinting pouch (containing a clear, non-toxic solution) and an I.D. Card, which includes easy-to-follow instructions detailing how to take a fingerprint, sections for recording the child's physical description and identifying marks, space for a current photo and an area for recording emergency and medical phone numbers. The entire fingerprinting process lasts approximately five minutes and black fingerprints immediately appear when the special solution makes contact with the coated fingerprint section on the card.
United Cooperative Services became involved with the NCIDP in the fall of 2003 through membership in the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, which looks to protect children throughout their membership base and offer the program to other affiliated cooperatives nationwide.
During the month of March 2004, United delivered kits to nearly 2,500 students who attend schools that are members of the co-op. Area manager Jake Brooks delivered kits to all the children attending the elementary schools in Cranfills Gap in Bosque County, Three Way in Hamilton County and Bluff Dale, Huckabay, Lingleville and Morgan Mill in Erath County.
United key account managers Mike Majors and John Lindsey also delivered Child ID Kits to the fourth grade students attending all other schools that are members of the co-op (and receive electricity service from United). These schools in Hood County included Granbury ISD's Mambrino School and Oak Wood Intermediate
Johnson County schools involved in the program included Alvarado ISD's Alvarado Elementary North and Lillian Elementary, Burleson IDS's William Stribling Elementary and Cleburne ISD's Marti Elementary. Other Johnson County schools included Godley Intermediate in Godley and Venus Elementary in Venus.
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) created the National Child Identification Program in 1997 with the goal of fingerprinting 20 million children across the country. Since its inception, the AFCA has distributed more than 4.2 million I.D. kits at college football stadiums.
The program is the largest child identification effort ever conducted and through a grass-roots effort with the help of prominent organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, the goal of the program now is to reach all 60 million children in the United States.
Other organizations including American Airlines, Best Western Hotels, Castrol Motor Oil, Clear Channel Communications, Hershey Foods Corporation and Kroger Food Stores have joined the campaign and in 2003, more than 14 million kits had been distributed in the United States.
The NCIDP has received tremendous backing in the state of Texas and from the national government. According to www.childidprogram.com, the Texas Senate and House of Representatives passed resolutions in support of the program on April 26, 1999 and determined all children attending public schools in the state of Texas would be offered an inkless I.D. Kit. Also, former Governor George W. Bush declared March 2000 as “Child Identification Month” in Texas.
Finally, the NCIDP and the AFCA were recognized by the U.S. Congress in 2001 with the unanimous passage of House Congressional Resolution 100, which commended the AFCA for its dedication and efforts in protecting children by providing a vital means for locating the nation's missing, abducted and runaway children.
For more information on United’s involvement in the NCIDP, please call your local cooperative office. |
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Page Last Modified: 07/26/2007 ©2000-2004 All rights reserved |
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