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PRESS RELEASE
DURACELL AND THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED
CHILDREN UNVEIL FREE CHILDREN’S BOOK WITH UPDATED CHILD SAFETY
LESSONS
Actress and Children’s Author Jada Pinkett
Smith Helps Raise Awareness for Child Safety Program
BETHEL, CT, May 2, 2007 – While
sixty-two percent of parents and guardians are looking for new ways to
teach their children how to stay safer1,
experts indicate that, unfortunately, some of the child safety messaging
currently available is outdated. In response to this, Duracell
and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
today announced the availability of two free safety resources for families – a
new children’s book entitled, The Great Tomato Adventure: A
Story About Smart Safety Choices and Teachable Moments Guides for
parents and guardians of older children.
Both tools are being introduced as an extension of the successful Power
of Parents child safetyprogram that was launched in 2006. The
goal of the program is to help parents prepare, protect and empower
their children by providing useful safety tools and information for
families. Available via the program Web site, www.powerofparentsonline.com,
the latest safety tools will arrive in time to help families prepare
for the spring and summer seasons, when 66 percent of non-family and
50 percent of family child abductions take place2. In
addition to helping dispel outdated and less effective child safety
rules like “never talk to strangers,” the new resources
feature important lessons for today’s tech-savvy world.
The Great Tomato Adventure, with a foreword penned by actress,
best-selling children’s book author and mom, Jada Pinkett Smith,
is designed for children ages four to six – the age range when
children can begin to understand safety concepts. The free book
is designed to replace outdated safety messaging in an empowering and
interactive format that follows lovable characters Petey Penguin, Tom
Turtle and Sofia Squirrel. Available online in on-screen and printable
versions, the book includes a Teachable Moments Guide to help
parents and guardians begin a safety dialogue with their children via
role playing scenarios and conversation starters. In order to help
reinforce safety lessons with children of all ages, additional Teachable
Moments Guides are available for parents and guardians of children
aged seven to 11 and 12 to 17. These guides include conversation
starters for highly relevant topics like Internet safety and online bullying.
“Many parents and guardians are searching for tools and resources
that can effectively teach children important safety lessons,” said
Ernie Allen, NCMEC, president and CEO. “The development
of this book provides families with safety messaging that can help build
children’s confidence and self esteem by teaching them how to respond
in potentially dangerous situations.”
Jada Pinkett Smith will unveil the safety toolstodaywith a special reading
of The Great Tomato Adventure in New York City at Preschool
of America, the largest pre-school network in Manhattan. The book
reading will also be made available for families across the country beginning
the afternoon of May 3, 2007 via video- and audio-casts, which will be
posted on the program Web site and on iTunes. Pinkett Smith has
also lent her voice to a radio public service announcement that will
air nationwide beginning in May.
“As a parent, reading is one of my favorite ways to spend quality
time with my children,” said Jada Pinkett Smith. “The
Great Tomato Adventure provides an enjoyable way for parents, guardians
and kids to begin tough conversations about child safety. My personal
goal in working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children and Duracell is to remind as many families as possible to take
time today to talk to their children about safety.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 2,000 children
are reported missing everyday and, thankfully the vast majority of them
are recovered quickly. The Power of Parents program web
site (www.powerofparentsonline.com) contains a variety of important safety
tools for families including a free downloadable child photo ID guide,
seasonal safety tips and a six-month photo ID reminder service, the timeframe
experts recommend for updating a child’s photo for safety purposes. In
addition to providing these free safety tools, as a part of the Power
of Parents program, Duracell will make a monetary donation to NCMEC. The
Company will also supply flashlight and batteries to NCMEC’s Team
Adam, a network of on-site rapid response consultants who provide technical
assistance to local law enforcement officers who investigate cases of
child abduction and exploitation across the country.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with NCMEC to help
arm families with invaluable child safety resources,” said Joseph
F. Dooley, president, Duracell, The Procter & Gamble Company. “Our
program has already encouraged millions of families to take action to
help safeguard their children – and we hope that we can reach millions
more through this new book.”
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
(NCMEC)
NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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 441,900
leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement
with more than 127,700 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of
more than 110,200 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its
toll-free hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.
About Duracell
Part of The Procter & Gamble Company, Duracell is the world’s
leading manufacturer and marketer of alkaline batteries. Its brands hold
the No.1 position in North America, China, Europe, Latin America and
Africa. Duracell offers a portfolio of power solutions for every type
of digital camera user including: Duracell Ultra Digital, a premium alkaline
battery for occasional digital camera users; Duracell PowerPix, a new
disposable battery for moderate users; and Duracell Rechargeables, Nickel
Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries and chargers for very frequent digital
camera users. The company also sells flashlights and recently acquired
Garrity Industries, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer and marketer of
lighting products.
About P&G [NYSE:PG]
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around
the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted,
quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®,
Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®,
Pringles®, Folgers®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®,
Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®,
Wella®, Gillette®, and Braun®. The P&G community
consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide.
Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information
about P&G and its brands.
1CARAVAN® survey of parents/guardians, conducted
by Opinion Research Corporation, on behalf of Duracell and NCMEC, February
2006.
2“National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview" in
National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway
Children. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice,
October 2002, page 5.
CONTACT:
Kara Salzillo
Duracell
617-421-7452
Salzillo.kl@pg.com
Danielle Cormier
PainePR
212-613-4920
dcormier@painpr.com
NCMEC
Communications Department
703-837-6111
media@ncmec.org
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