FORT WORTH, Texas, May 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RadioShack Corporation and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children(R) (NCMEC) today unveiled an enhanced online home for "StreetSentz: Common Sentz Tips for Safer Kidz," a nationwide program they created in 2003 to educate families about ways to keep children safer from abduction, exploitation, and violence. At StreetSentz.com, consumers will find a wealth of new information, tips, news and interactive tools on child safety, as well as a re-designed layout for easier navigation.
"Child abduction is a very real concern for any parent or guardian, and we know that many are looking for answers online," said Laura Moore, RadioShack senior vice president - communications and public relations. "We set out to create a central hub with current and useful information on the issue so that parents and guardians can educate themselves and find the tools they need to talk to their children. With May 25 being National Missing Children's Day, there's no better time to start having these conversations."
Helpful features of StreetSentz.com include:
* "Common Sentz Tips for Safer Kidz" - Information on Internet safety,
NCMEC's steps to take when a child goes missing, and more
* Calendar of child safety events happening around the country as part
of the "It's Kids Time Xtreme" mall tour
* Interactive safety quiz from NCMEC
* Online form to request free Child ID Kits
* Link to sign up for Wireless AMBER Alerts(TM)
* Emergency contact list for family and friends
* Current news from around the county on child safety
* Information on StreetSentz Community Grants - Community impact
programs or projects conducted by local nonprofit organizations. The
program currently focuses on two areas: prevention of family
violence/abuse and/or child abduction.
* StreetSentz Poll on related issues
"Prevention of child abduction and sexual exploitation starts with education and open conversation," said Ernie Allen, president and chief executive officer for NCMEC. "The enhancements to StreetSentz.com make it an invaluable tool for parents and guardians who are looking for practical advice and the latest information on this issue."
According to the U.S. Department of Justice nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States, thankfully the vast majority of these children are recovered quickly. Beyond StreetSentz.com, RadioShack is committed to helping families and raising awareness of this problem in its nearly 5,000 neighborhood stores and surrounding communities.
RadioShack launched the ADAM fax poster program in 2003 and is the largest single-source distributor of ADAM fax posters in the country. In cooperation with NCMEC and using technology developed by ChoicePoint, each RadioShack store receives NCMEC faxes of high-risk missing children from their area and places them on prominent display in the window or at the checkout register in an effort to reach every customer. In addition, RadioShack has distributed approximately 1 million free Child ID Kits to customers and regularly hosts Child ID days in its stores.
In January 2006, RadioShack launched a nationwide campaign to sign up 1 million new Wireless AMBER Alerts subscribers in 2006. Developed in partnership with the wireless industry and NCMEC, the Wireless AMBER Alert initiative allows consumers to receive text messages on their wireless phones when a child has been abducted in their area. As the leading retailer of wireless handsets and services, RadioShack and its more than 35,000 sales associates are available to help customers sign up from RadioShack's in-store Internet Centers or directly from their wireless handsets.
Most recently, RadioShack teamed up with the "It's Kids Time Xtreme" mall tour (http://www.sppkids.com/ ) to bring StreetSentz to 17 communities around the country between May and December 2006. At each event, RadioShack will provide helpful child safety tips from NCMEC, free Child ID Kits and fingerprinting by a local law enforcement officer.
For more information on StreetSentz, visit http://www.streetsentz.com/ .
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 387,800 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 119,800 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 102,200 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at http://www.missingkids.com/ .
About RadioShack
Fort Worth, Texas-based RadioShack Corporation is one of the nation's most trusted consumer electronics specialty retailers and a growing provider of business-to-business retail support services. The company operates a vast network of sales channels, including: nearly 7,000 company-owned and dealer stores; more than 100 RadioShack locations in Mexico and Canada; and more than 700 wireless kiosks. RadioShack's knowledgeable and helpful sales associates deliver convenient product and service solutions within five minutes of where 94 percent of all Americans either live or work. For more information on RadioShack Corporation, visit http://www.radioshackcorporation.com/ . To learn more about RadioShack products and services or to purchase items online, visit http://www.radioshack.com/ .
RadioShack Corporation
CONTACT: Wendy Dominguez of RadioShack Corporation, +1-817-415-3542, or Wendy.Dominguez@RadioShack.com ; or Communications Department of National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, +1-703-837-6111, or media@ncmec.org
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