KNOXVILLE – Now in its 24nd year, Shoney’s KidCare Photo ID events will take place in the Greater Knoxville area for three days only, August 4, 5 & 8, 2018, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The events provide FREE KidCare Photo IDs for children, which enable parents to have information readily available for authorities in the event their child is ever reported missing. The ID’s include a color photograph; fingerprints; important information such as: height, weight, and date of birth; a medical profile; the “Seven Rules for Safety;” and a 24-hour NCMEC hotline number. Each participant will also have the opportunity to visit with Shoney Bear.

Over the past 23 years, the program has successfully provided more than 40,000 children with IDs. Community Partners are the Knoxville Police Department & Safety City, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett & Knox County, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Walgreens, Star 102.1, WVLT, and The Optimist Club of Knoxville.

All parents should have a hard copy of a close-up, head & shoulders photo of each of their children. Unfortunately, parents think they have good photos of their children on their “smart phone” however, that is an unrealistic sense of security. Most photos on mobile phones include other people, are not close enough and often are not a high enough quality to identify eye color, hair color and specific facial features. KPD urges parents to make time to bring their children to the free events to create good quality photos and to have your child fingerprinted. This is especially important for middle school-aged students.

The 2018 Shoney’s KidCare Photo ID event dates are 3 days only:

• SATURDAY, August 4, 2018 at West Town Mall, 7600 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 from 11:00am – 5:00pm. Inside, in front of JC Penney.
• SUNDAY, August 5, 2018 at Foothills Mall, 197 Foothills Mall, Maryville, TN 37801 from 12:00pm – 6:00pm. In the Center Stage area.
• WEDNESDAY, August 8, 2018 at Knoxville Expo Center, 5441 Clinton Highway, Knoxville, TN 37912 from 3:00-6:00pm at Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’s Back to School Bash.

Visit Shoney's website for detailed menus and more information.