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"Joining Forces: Partnering with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to Protect Our Youth"
"Empowering Narratives: My Journey as a Content Creator at the 2024 Midwest Overland Expo"
As I reflect on my recent experience as a content creator at the 2024 Midwest Overland Expo, held in Springfield, Missouri, I'm filled with a sense of profound purpose and responsibility. Little did I know that by accepting this role, I would embark on a journey that would not only ignite my passion for storytelling but also lead me to an extraordinary partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The Midwest Overland Expo, an annual gathering celebrating outdoor exploration and adventure, brought together content creators, enthusiasts, and industry professionals from across the country. It was an honor to be selected as one of the storytellers for this prestigious event, an opportunity to share narratives that resonate with the spirit of exploration and community.
However, what truly set this experience apart was the automatic partnership with NCMEC that came with being a content creator. As I delved deeper into the organization's mission and the crucial work they do, I was profoundly moved. NCMEC is not just a name; it's a beacon of hope for countless families and children across the nation.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the noble cause of finding missing children, combating child sexual exploitation, and preventing child victimization. Their tireless efforts extend beyond the confines of their organization; they collaborate with families, law enforcement, private industry, and the public to create a safer world for our children.
Their mission struck a chord within me, not only as a content creator but more importantly, as a parent. The thought of any child going missing or being exploited is a parent's worst nightmare. It's a reality that no family should ever have to face, yet it's a harsh truth that many do.
In 1984, after several tragedies, John and Revé Walsh and other child advocates founded the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as a private, non-profit organization to serve as the national clearinghouse and to provide a coordinated, national response to problems relating to missing and exploited children.
Today, with better public awareness, training, laws, and technology, NCMEC is able to help bring more missing children home every day, including long-term missing children. In 1998, with the help of a private donation and after starting to receive an increase in reports relating to the online sexual exploitation of children, NCMEC created the CyberTipline. The CyberTipline provides an online mechanism for members of the public and electronic service providers (ESPs) to report incidents of suspected child sexual exploitation. Since its inception, NCMEC’s CyberTipline has received millions of reports concerning crimes against children.
On May 25, 1979, 6-year-old Etan Patz vanished from a New York street on his way to his school bus. Every year, on the anniversary of Etan’s disappearance, the nation observes Missing Children's Day. For over three decades, NCMEC has continued to help search for children like Etan. We never forget a child and never give up hope no matter how long a child has been missing. National Missing Children's Day honors this commitment to help locate and recover missing children like Etan by reminding parents, guardians, families and communities that every child deserves a safe childhood.
Every year, on the anniversary of Etan’s disappearance, the nation observes Missing Children's Day. For over three decades, NCMEC has continued to help search for children like Etan. We never forget a child and never give up hope no matter how long a child has been missing. National Missing Children's Day honors this commitment to help locate and recover missing children like Etan by reminding parents, guardians, families, and communities that every child deserves a safe childhood.
If you would like to help protect our children and support NCMEC you can do so through my donation page. Ninety two cents of every dollar goes to helping find and protect our children.
Scan the QR code in the photo above with your phone, and you’ll see photos of missing children in a 50-mile radius of where you are right now.
It has the potential to revolutionize the way we search for missing kids.
In the nearly 40 years since the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) was founded, we’ve helped law enforcement recover more than 400,000 missing children. Photos have consistently been the most powerful tool we have to bring them home. But what has changed is how quickly we can get those photos of missing children to people in the best position to help find them.
From the early days of putting children’s photos on milk cartons, technology has continually evolved to help us distribute literally billions of photos faster and faster – using emails, billboards, mobile devices, social media, and even gas station TVs. We can geo-target posters to specific areas where a child went missing or is believed to be now. But the QR code could usher in a whole new era. Now we’re talking a matter of seconds – and not just one child at a time.
“Instead of sharing one missing child poster, this will allow the public to view all missing children in their immediate area, whether they're at home, visiting friends, or on vacation," said John Bischoff, who oversees our Missing Children Division. “More images will be seen, and, hopefully, more children will be found quickly.”