A McGruff House was a temporary place for children to go when they found themselves in a frightening or dangerous situation while going to and from school or when playing in their neighborhood. Children were told in school, through advertising, and through communications by law enforcement that they could go to any house displaying the McGruff House sign and be safe there.
Any house, apartment, townhouse, mobile home or even a business could become a McGruff House.
Interested participants were given a brief presentation of the McGruff House program outlining what would be expected of them if a child were to approach their home for assistance. This was followed by an application process which included a background check on all adults living in the prospective house.
Participants were instructed in the following Dos and Don’ts of the program:
- DO call the appropriate authorities if a child needs help or has a medical emergency
- DO reassure the child if they are frightened
- DO report crimes or suspicious activity
- DO NOT provide first aid except in life-threatening situations
- DO NOT administer medications
- DO NOT enforce laws
Each autumn in Minneapolis, there was a push to get the word out that more McGruff Houses were needed.
Here is the call for McGruff House volunteers from the “The Northeaster” on September 19, 1990:
The McGruff House program operated under the motto “We’ll call for help”.
In February 2012, the McGruff House program was ended after nearly 30 years of operation due to the advent and growing prominence of cell phones combined with reduced budgets.
“The Northeaster” of September 19, 1990 courtesy of Hennepin County Library