ake 25 Organizer’s it

www.take25.org

Proudly Sponsored by

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minutes

a safercommunity

for our kids

1 Introduction

2 How to Plan a Take 25 Event

4 Suggested Take 25 Events

5 Media Outreach Steps for Success

6 Event Checklist

7 Talking Points

8 Resources

9 Guidelines

Table of ConTenTS

While many of these children are recovered quickly, there are many who never return home. To ensure these children remain in the hearts and minds of the public, in 1983, former President Ronald Reagan declared May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day. This day serves as a time to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families, remember those who are still missing, and make child safety a national priority.

To commemorate this day, the national Center for Missing & exploited Children® (nCMeC) launched Take 25, a national grassroots campaign encouraging parents, guardians, communities, and others to take 25 minutes to talk to children about safety. With a focus on prevention, Take 25 provides families and communities with the tools and resources to initiate an on-going dialogue with children about safety.

We invite you to join the thousands of organizations, agencies, and individuals who have already brought the Take 25 Campaign to communities throughout the United States and abroad. Getting started is easy. enclosed you will find a step-by-step guide to help plan your Take 25 event(s) as well as a complete list of FREE materials available to event organizers. You will also find Talking Points and Guidelines Governing a Take 25 event. We ask that you read and abide by all of these guidelines as you are planning and executing your Take 25 event.

as the Take 25 Campaign continues to grow, involvement of local, regional, and national partners is critical. We appreciate your participation and look forward to working with you as you plan your Take 25 event(s).

Welcome to the Take 25 Campaign

every year, nearly

800,000 children are reported as missing to law enforcement.

That’s more than

2,000 children per day.

it’s all about time...

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1. ChoosE aN EvENT To hosT• Community or Safety Day • Child ID • Safety Presentation

• Press Conference• Proclamation• Materials Distribution

2. IDENTIFy loCal CoNTaCTs• Include elected and appointed officials,

media representatives, community leaders, educators, law enforcement, clergy, and other community members.

• Recruit volunteers as needed to support the event.

3. sECuRE ThE suppoRT oF loCal oRgaNIzaTIoNs • Host a planning meeting to discuss the

responsibilities of each participating organization.• Invite representatives from law enforcement

and the nonprofit, corporate, faith-based, and government sectors.

• Divide responsibilities among media outreach, event planning, and event day details.

• Include colleges and universities, and encourage their participation in planning and hosting events.

• If possible, contact potential partners at least 60 days prior to your event.

4. DEvElop aN EvENT sTRaTEgy • Identify goals for the event, which may

include raising awareness, increasing community involvement, or highlighting cases of missing children.

• Consider the demographics of your audience and determine which materials you will distribute to attendees.

• Research local and national statistics involving missing or exploited children. Visit www.missingkids.com for national statistics and consult your state clearinghouse to find out how the issues are relevant in your community.

5. DETERMINE a loCaTIoN• Consider where the event will take place.

Possible locations include a local community center, school, or park.

• Determine what date and time will allow for maximum participation.

• estimate the number of children and families that will attend.

• Make sure your venue will hold the estimated number of attendees, has parking, and is accessible by public transportation.

• establish a back-up plan in case of inclement weather.

HOW TO PLAN A TAKE 25 EVENT

as you begin planning, consider these important steps:

it’s all about time...

6. ENgagE youR CoMMuNITy • network with local organizations to promote

the event.• Reach out to schools and parent organizations

to request they notify parents and guardians about events in the community.

7. DEvElop a MEDIa sTRaTEgy • Develop a list of media representatives to invite

to the event, including television and radio stations, newspapers, and magazines.

• Designate a spokesperson, such as a community leader, law-enforcement representative, or local celebrity or athlete to speak on behalf of the event.

• Promote your event on local community event calendars.

• Distribute a media advisory to local media outlets, along with an invitation to the event.

• Prepare media kits with press releases for media representatives attending your event.

• Videotape and/or photograph the event.

8. WoRk ouT lasT-MINuTE DETaIls• Provide attendees with Take 25 resources. • Plan to meet your participants’ needs and

ensure their comfort while attending the event.

• If you are expecting a large crowd, consider entertainment for children who are waiting in line. face-painting, costumed characters, demonstrations, and storytelling are all fun ways to keep children engaged.

9. FolloW up WITh suppoRTERs• Issue surveys to event organizers and attendees.• form a task force in your community to work on

missing and exploited children’s issues.

• Keep the issue of child safety at the forefront of community members’ minds.

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DIsTRIbuTE TakE 25 MaTERIals• Distribute safety materials at events or in family

friendly areas throughout the community.• Display posters and banners in public areas,

such as libraries, schools, community centers, hospitals, bus stops, and other high-traffic areas.

oRgaNIzE a ChIlD ID EvENT• local law enforcement can often assist

by producing high-quality photos and fingerprints of children that can be given to parents and guardians.

• Personal information obtained should be given to parents and guardians to store in a safe place and should not be saved in any database.

CoNDuCT a saFETy pREsENTaTIoN• Parents, guardians, law enforcement, and

others can gather in a public setting to discuss protective measures to help keep children safer.

• Visit www.netSmartz.org for downloadable Internet safety presentations.

hosT a pREss CoNFERENCE• Invite the media to help launch your event and

engage the community on child safety issues.• Invite and recognize those who assisted

in the planning process.

IssuE a pRoClaMaTIoN• ask local elected officials to issue a proclamation

for national Missing Children’s Day, recognizing the day, week, or the month of May.

SUGGESTEDTAKE 25 EVENTS

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oNE MoNTh bEFoRE youR EvENTassemble press kits to distribute to local media. Press kits should include: • Information about your organization • Information about national Center for

Missing & exploited Children® (nCMeC) and the Take 25 Campaign

• a personalized copy of the Take 25 press release

• local contact information for press inquiries

ThREE WEEks bEFoRE youR EvENT• Research contacts at local media outlets.

Compile contact names, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and submission deadlines.

• build relationships with media contacts. When contacting the media, ask to speak to someone in community affairs or events. If possible, arrange to meet in person prior to the event.

• Don’t be discouraged. Media contacts are often busy. When contacting them, first ask “Is this a good time to talk—are you on deadline”? be flexible and work around your contact’s schedule.

• offer all of the available resources. local media outlets may air public service announcements (PSas) for your event or publish information in their written communications.

oNE WEEk bEFoRE youR EvENT• Send each media outlet a personalized

press release. • Provide information about your Take 25 event,

including the best time to have media present and specific times when local leaders will be in attendance.

TWo Days bEFoRE youR EvENT• Call, e-mail, or fax all contacts. ensure that they

received the press release, and attempt to secure a commitment for media coverage.

aFTER ThE EvENT• be persistent. If the story doesn’t run as planned,

follow up with your contact and send an event summary and pictures from the event. Your contact may be able to run a post-event story instead.

be sure to thank your media contacts after the event and acknowledge their support.

MEDIA OUTREACH STEPS FOR SUCCESS

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TAKE 25 EVENT ORGANIzER MINI LIST

For a full selection of event organizer resources and templates, visit www.take25.org/resources.

ChoosE aN EvENT sECuRE suppoRT• Review Take 25 materials, determine your

audience, and available resources• engage local agencies and organizations• Promote your event through local

media outlets• Tell your communities about your event and

recruit volunteers

sET goals TakE 25 pRE-EvENT pREpaRaTIoN• Determine interest and investigate

other events near the time of your proposed event(s)

• Host a planning meeting to delegate tasks, develop a timeline, and establish the main points of contact for planning, questions, and logistics the day of the event

• anticipate the needs of your audience• Make sure you have contact information

to reach all parties involved on the day of the event

• Take pictures and/or video the day of your event

REgIsTER EvENTs EvENT FolloW up• Visit www.take25.org/host to log-in and

register your Take 25 event(s). You may track the progress of your Take 25 event(s) and order materials here. be sure to also sign-up for the Take 25 e-blast to get the latest campaign updates and safety information.

• once your event has been registered and approved, order fRee event planning resources and materials to share with children and families. Take 25 resources are available in multiple languages and can also be downloaded at www.take25.org.

• Survey your participants and event partners to determine if you reached your event goals

• Thank your volunteers, event partners, local media, and any participating local officials

• Share your event successes, challenges, stories, press releases, media clips, and pictures. Send them all to take25@ncmec.org.

May 25

National Missing

Children’s Day

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WhaT Is TakE 25?• a campaign of the national Center for Missing

& exploited Children® (nCMeC), Take 25 was created in commemoration of national Missing Children’s Day.

• annually honored on May 25th, this day serves as a reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families, remember those who are still missing, and make child protection a national priority.

• This national child safety campaign encourages parents and guardians to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about ways to stay safer.

• The goal of Take 25 is to promote an ongoing dialogue between children, families, and communities about child safety issues.

Why Is TakE 25 IMpoRTaNT?• according to the U.S. Department of Justice

(DoJ) an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States annually, amounting to approximately 2,000 each day. Thankfully, the vast majority are located quickly.

• an estimated 58,200 children are abducted by non-family members each year. about 115 children each year are the victims of the most serious, long-term abductions.

abouT ThE NaTIoNal CENTER FoR MIssINg & EXploITED ChIlDREN• nCMeC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

• nCMeC helps prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation; helps find missing children; and assists victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families, and the professionals who serve them.

• To learn more about nCMeC and the issue of missing and exploited children, call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THe-loST® (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.com.

To learn more about the Take 25 Campaign or register an event, visit www.take25.org.

TAKE 25 TALKING POINTS

plaNNINg DoCuMENTsIn addition to the resources included in this Kit, the Take 25 Campaign offers several other fRee materials to help event organizers begin planning their Take 25 event(s). The following resources are available for download at www.take25.org/resources:

• Media advisory • outreach letter

• Press Release • Resolution

EvENT MaTERIalsThe Take 25 Campaign also provides event organizers with materials and resources to share with families, children, and communities during events. These fRee resources are available in multiple languages and can either be downloaded at www.take25.org or ordered after your Take 25 event is registered and approved by national Center for Missing & exploited Children® (nCMeC) staff.

• bookmarks • brochures • Child ID Kits • Conversation Starters

• Mini-lessons • Posters• Safety Tips • Stickers

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TAKE 25 RESOURCES

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name Date

I am over 18 years old and have read, understand, and agree to follow all the guidelines on this page in conducting the proposed Take 25 event. I attest that the information provided in my application is correct and accurately describes the proposed Take 25 event. I will notify nCMeC as soon as possible if any information provided in my application changes in any way before the date of the Take 25 event. for more information, contact take25@ncmec.org.

□ nCMeC’s name and logos are registered trademarks that are wholly owned by nCMeC and cannot be displayed or reproduced without nCMeC’s written permission.

□ If you wish to use nCMeC’s name and/or logos, including the Take 25 logo, in any way other than on the printed Take 25 materials provided by nCMeC, you must seek written approval from nCMeC before any such use. Until you receive nCMeC’s written approval, you cannot use nCMeC’s name or logos in any way other than on the printed Take 25 materials.

□ You will submit for nCMeC’s review and approval any flyers, press releases, or other promotional materials that you propose using in connection with the Take 25 event before you produce, distribute or publish any such materials.

□ Your Take 25 event cannot create the impression that nCMeC sponsors, endorses, or is affiliated with any individual or entity beyond the scope of the approved Take 25 event. Your Take 25 event can not place any missing child in a false light or tarnish nCMeC’s name or reputation. You will not use nCMeC’s name or logos for any commercial purpose.

□ If your Take 25 event will involve sponsorship, fundraising, and/or donation activities, then you must provide information regarding these activities to nCMeC and agree to abide by any applicable better business bureau guidelines and/or state fundraising regulations.

□ nCMeC reserves the right to decline any Take 25 event in its sole discretion upon review of the Take 25 event details.

□ You will obtain all necessary permits, licenses, and insurance for your Take 25 event and will be responsible for all expenses relating to and arising from a Take 25 event.

□ You agree to indemnify and hold nCMeC harmless from all claims and liabilities relating to your Take 25 event.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) has developed the following guidelines to make the Take 25 Campaign as successful as possible. by agreeing to follow these guidelines, you help ensure that NCMEC’s Take 25

Campaign continues to be a success.

GUIDELINES GOVERNING TAKE 25 EVENTS

a program of the

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®

Charles b. Wang International Children’s building • 699 Prince Street • alexandria, Va 22314-3175

www.missingkids.com • 1-800-THe-loST® • take25@ncmec.org

Copyright © 2013 national Center for Missing & exploited Children. all rights reserved.

Text Take25 to 20222 and donate $10 towards the Take 25 Campaign.Must be 18 years or older.