OUr mission

By direction of the Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons (F. & A. M.) in the State of New York, the responsibility  of the Child Identification Program has been delegated to the Child Identification Program (CHIP) Committee.  The Committee Chairman reports to and is responsible to the Grand Master for the effectiveness of the program.  The Committee provides assistance and guidance to the District Deputy Grand Masters and their appointed Public Involvement and Awareness Chairman or Child ID Chairman throughout his jurisdiction.  

The mission of the Child ID Program is to:

• provide a vital community service

• aid in the safe recovery of a lost or missing child

• aid in the safe recovery of a lost senior citizen

• encourage Masons to become involved in their communities

• promote a positive image of Masonry in our communities, broadening public awareness and recognition of Masonry as an involved community organization

our history

The Child ID Program started in 1991 by volunteers in the Manhattan Districts and spread throughout the State. The original program consisted of a brief video interview of the child. It was believed that my showing the child in coversation and capturing the child's gait and mannerisms, law enforcement agencies would have an advantage in locating and identifying a missing child.

After consultation with the New York State Department of Criminal Justice System, the program was changed to provide an identification card or DataCard®. This system provided the parent with a plastic card containing information regarding the child, along with a digital photograph and a finger print.

Because of the aging population, the program grew to include student and senior identification cards.

With the advances of technology and the desire to produce a product that would better serve law enforcement agencies in the prompt location of missing children, the program migrated to its current form - the EZ Child ID System. This system provides for a mini CD-ROM containg digital photographs, a complete set of digital fingerprints, and critical information about the subject in a universal format, while still allowing for the production of identifications cards if requested.

OUR SPONSOR

The New York Child ID Program (NY CHIP) is sponsored by the Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons (F. & A. M.) and is provided free of charge to the participant.