News From NCPC

New PSAs From NCPC

Bullying Prevention

Bullying is a widespread problem for our nation's youth. Bullying and teasing are cited as the top school troubles for students ages 8 to 15. The National Crime Prevention Council's bullying prevention campaign is designed to counteract bullying at a young age. The television public service advertisement, "Bully Hotline" features McGruff encouraging kids to intervene in a bullying incident. McGruff's message is simple, "Friendship beats bullies every time."

A series of trading cards complement the PSA and carry the message that victims of bullying can act when confronted by a bully, and that kids who witness bullying can have a big impact by intervening and befriending the victim. To view the PSAs, visit www.weprevent.org or www.mcgruff.org.

NCPC is pleased partner with ABC network and The Advertising Council, Inc., to extend the bully prevention messages through additional PSAs aired on the ABC network, ABC family channel, and local affiliate stations. The partnership will provide more than $250,000 in donated media airtime for the PSA messages.

Internet Safety

The Internet is an exciting, educational tool for kids but it also has many potential dangers. Children can be harassed online by classmates, exposed to inappropriate material through email and websites, or become vulnerable to adults posing as children online. In an effort to raise awareness of online pitfalls, NCPC has developed a new Internet Safety campaign to educate children and parents about safety strategies when they are online.

McGruff encourages children to make smart online choices so they can enjoy the privileges of the Internet and avoid the pitfalls. Each print ad features helpful tips for kids such as what to do if someone you've met online wants to meet in person and how to report pornographic or obscene material. Listen up for radio PSAs coming your way this summer that provide parents with tips to deal with this ever-changing medium.

For more information, email media@ncpc.org. 

McGruff Marches in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

McGruff marched in New York's annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade November 25, 2004, before a crowd estimated at 1.5 million and a much larger nationwide television audience in the tens of millions. McGruff marched with the city's police department band. The night before the parade, McGruff met an estimated 10,000 children during the annual balloon inflation event for the parade.

Visit McGruff.org To Download Worksheets

The National Crime Prevention Council has a new online resource for adults who teach children personal safety and crime prevention. McGruff.org is now featuring downloadable worksheets for kids on topics like bullying prevention, stranger awareness, bicycle safety, and much more. Adults can pass out these free resources to kids at community events, elementary schools, and scout troop meetings and to parents interested in teaching their kids how to stay safe.

To download these worksheets, visit mcgruff.org/Grownups/materials.htm. Make as many copies as you need! Check mcgruff.org every month for more activities on different crime prevention issues.

McGruff® Corner

The McGruff 32-foot inflatable cold air balloon is available for use at your next crime prevention event. To reserve the balloon, contact Deborah Boone at dboone@ncpc.org or fax your request to 202-785-2134. Contact Deborah one month prior to your event. Roundtrip shipping and handling costs are the responsibility of the user. Please allow five business days for ground shipping. A refundable deposit of $200 is required and a non-refundable administrative fee of $50 is also required.