So much to do to get your kids, teens, college students back to school. Now that they are back, please take the time to have your kids ID’d.

Why it’s important

Your children will be out of your reach. Nearly 2,000 children are reported missing or abducted in the United States each day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates between 244,000 and 325,000 American youth are considered at risk for sexual exploitation, and an estimated 199,000 incidents of sexual exploitation of minors occur each year in the United States. The average age at entry into commercial sex or sex trafficking for girls and boys is 12-14 years old.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a single CURRENT photograph is imperative to recovering a missing child. What if you could have that photo AND fingerprints AND your child’s vital information (height, weight, medical records, etc.). AND what if it was all on an AMBER ALERT compatible mini-CD? You would have the most current, comprehensive recovery tool and MoCHIP provides all of this FREE of charge!

Once the child/teen is processed through the program, which generally takes only 15 minutes, the parent is armed with a single pre-printed envelope that instructs authorities in the event of an emergency, something a parent in crisis would undoubtedly have trouble with, and a proactive measure to combat the time sensitivity involved in recovery. Within a matter of minutes the Child ID CD can be loaded into a computer directly from a police officer’s automobile and entered into the Amber Alert system.

Child Already ID’d?

If you have already had your child ID’d by MoCHIP you are one smart parent, but it might also be a good idea to update your ID if your child is at that recommended age (chart below) or if he or she has any significant changes like braces or glasses, or even a visible scar. If your child has changed schools, has a new doctor or dentist, this might also be a good time to update his or her ID.

If you had your child(ren) ID’d through MoCHIP you can have the CD updated at any upcoming event. Just bring the MoCHIP CD back to any MoCHIP event and we will update your child’s photos, fingerprints and vital information on the spot! And, as always, its FREE of charge thanks to Missouri Freemason’s and the Missouri Masonic Children’s Foundation.