BAIRFIND FOUNDATION INC

Our goal is to be a nationally recognized leader in generating leads and tips in the search for missing children using the power of sports marketing and engaging youth. We aim to get as many views as possible on profiles of missing children in cities and communities across the country, and thereby increase the chances that the children will be safely located.

In 2022, BairFind launched The Missing Child Project to give everyone an opportunity to join in the search for missing children. The Missing Child Project Club (The MCP Club) is a way for students to join the search in their area. The MCP Club model engages youth in leadership and volunteerism while learning about the growing societal issue of missing children.

The BairFind Foundation partners with professional sports teams and corporate sponsors to place signage in sports venues and businesses in cities and communities across the country. We raise awareness of that areas missing children using the power of sports marketing to reach millions of people in a family-friendly environment.

In 2016, BairFind became an Official Charity Partner of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) with a special designation of "Homegrown" due to the Founder's roots in Minor League Baseball. In partnership with MiLB, BairFind places photos of hundreds of our nation's missing kids in front of literally tens of millions of Americans in stadiums and arenas across the country at no cost to the families. Every glance at one of these photos is another opportunity for a child to be reunited with his or her family. When a child is recovered, we notify the distribution partner and a found sticker is placed over the profile. This reinforces to the public that there is hope that a missing child can be found.

In 2022, BairFind launched The Missing Child Project to give everyone an opportunity to join in the search for missing children. The Missing Child Project Club (The MCP Club) is a way for students to join the search in their area. The MCP Club model engages youth in leadership and volunteerism while learning about the growing societal issue of missing children.

We use social media as a distribution method for the sign graphics to help further raise awareness for missing children as well as to celebrate that missing children are found.

We have a family member of a missing child as a member of our Board to continue to diversify our understanding. The Board member is the aunt of a boy who went missing 15 years ago outside of his school with a friend.

In a unique partnership with Minor League Baseball teams and other professional sports, we place high-definition signs in stadiums featuring each area's missing children. In 2016, BairFind was recognized by Minor League Baseball as an "Official 'Homegrown' Charity Partner which fueled a nationwide relationship and expansion with the sports teams in communities across America.

In 2022, we embarked on a rebranding called The Missing Child Project to give everyone an opportunity to join in the search for missing children. The original branding was focused on a sports image and the rebranding includes a new logo and images to appeal to the broader public. It represents an updated image. A new website was launched in April with new capabilities and programs, including a turnkey program for students to get involved.

The Missing Child Project Club (The MCP Club) is a way for students to join the search in their area. The MCP Club model engages youth in leadership and volunteerism while learning about the growing societal issue of missing children.

The expansion of the concourse sign program and Minor League Baseball announcing BairFind as an Official Charity Partner in 2016 was a significant milestone in the organization's development. It fueled a nationwide expansion and created relationships in communities across the country. Signs featuring area missing children were seen by millions of people in ballparks across the country.

Earned national and local media coverage become an additional platform to remind the public about missing children on a broad spectrum as a societal issue and at the local community level as to individual children who are missing.

BairFind was awarded the Presidential Citation Award from MiLB President Pat O'Conner at the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings which was a significant honor. Our program success factors are measurable and reported by third parties.

Expansion into another professional sports leagues - the NBA - Development League with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants is a significant step forward, and in 2017 that led to the NBA's Indiana Pacers adopting our program by placing our signage in their arena - Banker's Life Fieldhouse - displaying profiles of Indiana's missing children to thousands of fans each game.

Numerous awards and recognition were provided by national and local communities. In 2017, BairFind was honored as a Classy Top 100 Non-profit and Social Entrepreneur Enterprise. We were awarded the titles of “Bold City's Best" nonprofit by the readers of The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) newspaper, and “#1 Charity and #1 Nonprofit in the 904" (area code) by Jacksonville's VOID Magazine. In 2016, the Jacksonville City Council passed a Resolution "Honoring and Commending Dennis Bair and The BairFind Foundation for their tireless efforts to find and rescue children". In 2012, the City of Pittsburgh honored BairFind with a Proclamation of BairFind "Bring Home 100 Day".

In 2019, the first "BairFind Club was created to educate and engage students in the search for missing children.
Other clubs began in Florida with interest in other states. As a result, we have created a turnkey program for students to start their own clubs. Students gain leadership skills and volunteer hours which learning about the growing societal issue of missing children.

During the pandemic in 2020, our progress was impacted as our distribution partners were closed down. In 2021, we sustained continued impact as our distribution partners were building back, yet still not fully operational due to pandemic effects. In 2022, we continue to gain momentum and our rebranding effort opens up new avenues for distribution of profiles. The work is as important as ever as the pandemic as the number of missing children reported has more than doubled in every state in the nation.