Child Find of America, Inc.

Overview

Child Find of America, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing and resolving child abduction. Founded in 1980 by Gloria Yerkovich, a mother whose child was abducted by the non-custodial parent, the organization has played a pivotal role in raising awareness about parental abduction and its psychological effects on children.

History

Gloria Yerkovich's personal experience of having her 5-year-old daughter abducted in 1974 in the Hudson Valley, New York, motivated her to establish Child Find. At that time, there were limited national or state resources available for locating missing children. Yerkovich's efforts and those of other child advocates contributed to significant legal reforms, including the 1982 Omnibus Victims Protection Act and the 1984 Missing Children's Assistance Act. Child Find served as a prototype for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), founded in 1984. Gloria Yerkovich was recognized for her contributions by being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993.

Services and Programs

Child Find of America offers a range of free programs designed to assist families in crisis. Key services include:

• Investigation and Location: The organization operates a hotline (1-800-I-AM-LOST) through which families can report missing children. Case workers assist in locating missing, kidnapped, runaway, and abducted children.

• Parent Help Program: This program focuses on defusing family conflicts that may lead to child abduction, abuse, or runaways. Services provided include crisis intervention, conflict management, safety planning, communication skills, and parenting skill-building.

• Multilingual Support: Translators are available at no charge during calls to support families speaking various languages.

Impact and Recognition

Over four decades, Child Find of America has expanded its scope beyond responding to crises, focusing on prevention and education. The organization's contributions have been recognized nationally, including an invitation to speak at the White House Conference on Missing and Exploited Children in 2002. Child Find of America has earned a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator for its transparency and accountability.

[1] https://childfindofamerica.org/our-history/ [2] https://www.givemn.org/organization/Child-Find-Of-America [3] https://communityconnectionssjc.org/programs/details/child_find_of_america_inc/ [4] https://childfindofamerica.org [5] https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/222323336