NATCHEZ — In a world where some people prey on children, the Natchez Masonic Lodges are sponsoring a free program to fight back.

The Natchez Masons are putting together a program on MSCHIP, which stands for Mississippi Children Identity Package. The program, for toddlers to 17-year-olds, provides parents with information to help recover their children, said Andrew Jackson Lodge Secretary Jack Cupit.

“We pray no one will ever have to use this program,” Cupit said. “But we have to face reality, predators are out there and maybe this program will help deter them or at least help recover the child safely.”

When the children show up with an adult guardian, a volunteer will take pictures, a DNA sample, digital fingerprints and dental samples, Cupit said.

“The process should only take about 10 minutes and we will give the CD package directly to the parents,” he said. “No one will have it but them, we’re not keeping it, not giving it to the government, no one.

“The only information we will keep is the permission slip the parent signs,” Cupit said.

If the unthinkable were to occur and a parent had to use this information, Cupit said the parent should bring the CD to the police and the child’s information will go on the National AMBER Alert System.

Cupit said all of the local law enforcement agencies are behind the program 100 percent.

“They said they wished they had the ability to offer this program,” he said. “As Masons, we do, and we thought it’d be a good way to give back to the community.”

MSCHIP is a program that the Freemasons of Natchez plan to provide every year, Cupit said.

“Our children are our future, so it is our duty to ensure that they are protected,” he said. “Doing it every year, we hope to be able to cover every child in the area, regardless of race or religion.”

Both Harmony and Andrew Jackson Lodges are working together to host this event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday July 25. Cupit said the event will be at the Natchez Shrine Club because its facilities are better to house this type of event.

The Natchez Shrine Club is located at 229 Morgantown Road.