Gasp Guardians Advocating Child Safety And Protection

SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2006, GASP HAS ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF CHILD SAFETY AND DEVELOPED HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE ADULTS AND CHILDREN, SPEAK UP FOR OUR CHILDREN, EDUCATE THEM, EMPOWER THEM AND GIVE THEM TOOLS TO PROTECT AGAINST DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, SEXUAL OFFENSES, ABUSE AND ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN. GASP CONTINUES TO EVOLVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY BY PARTICIPATING IN CHILD SAFETY EVENTS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. WE OFTEN FIND THAT THERE IS A LACK OF AWARENESS OF THESE ISSUES, EVEN AS THESE INCIDENTS CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF EVERYDAY NEWS. THERE IS EVEN LESS AWARENESS OF THE ALARMING RATES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE STATE OF OHIO, WHICH HAS RANKED AS HIGH AS FIFTH IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE MOST INSTANCES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR EVERY ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, OR INSTANCE OF ABUSE, EXPLOITATION OR BULLYING IN THE NEWS, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO GET AWAY WITH THEIR OFFENSES. WE STARTED BACK UP ATTENDING SOME EVENTS IN 2021. WE ATTEN

FINGERPRINTING/CHILD ID EVENT AND SAFETY TOWN: PROVIDED COMPUTER-GENERATED DISCS WITH A CHILD'S PERTINENT INFORMATION, PHOTOS, VIDEO, AND DIGITAL FINGERPRINTS TO SHARE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE EVENT THAT A CHILD GOES MISSING. IN 2019, WE PARTICIPATED IN 125 FINGERPRINTING/CHILD ID EVENTS, WHICH PRODUCED NEARLY 4,035 DISCS. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2020, ALL ID EVENTS WERE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19. GASP PURCHASED "TAKE HOME" ID KITS TO SEND TO GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHEN REQUESTED. INFORMATION ABOUT THESE KITS WAS LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. WE CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SUMMIT COUNTY PROSECUTORS' OFFICE BY PARTICIPATING IN THE "TAKE ME HOME" PROGRAM FOR "AT RISK" CHILDREN. WE ALSO WORK WITH LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SAFETY TOWN PROGRAMS. EACH YEAR, WE PARTICIPATE IN SAFETY TOWNS IN STOW, SPRINGFIELD, BATH, RICHFIELD, COPLEY, CUYAHOGA FALLS, AKRON, GREEN AND TWINSBURG.

NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY: A MULTI-AGENCY EVENT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND GENERAL CHILD SAFETY ISSUES. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR GASP TO INFORM OUR COMMUNITY THAT ABDUCTION HAPPENS AND WE CAN HELP BY EDUCATING AND PROVIDING MATERIAL AND AGENCIES TO HELP OUR FAMILIES SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN HERE WE PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, SUMMIT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE SUMMIT COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, SUMMIT COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES, AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES FOCUSING ON CHILD AND FAMILY WELLNESS. OUR 2021 NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY WAS HELD AT HARDESTY PARK. DUE TO COVID WE DID NOT INVOLVE IN-PERSON REPRESENTATION FROM LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE DID PUT TOGETHER A BAG WITH INFORMATION, HANDOUTS, AND "GOODIES" FROM MANY LOCAL AGENCIES THAT WORK WITH CHILDREN. WE ARE PLANNING TO RETURN TO OUR USUAL EVENT AT SUMMIT MALL IN 2022 INCLUDING LOCAL AGENCIES.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TEACH CHILDREN AND ADULTS ON MANY SAFETY ISSUES SUCH AS, BULLYING, INTERNET AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY SAFETY, ISSUES ARISING FROM SEXTING, UNCOMFORTABLE TOUCHING, GUN AND OTHER CHILD SAFETY ISSUES. WE DELIVER THESE PROGRAMS AT SCHOOLS, CHAMBER MEETINGS, CHURCH GROUPS AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.

COURT OBSERVATIONS AND SEARCH TEAMS: IN 2019, GASP VOLUNTEERS OBSERVED AND FOLLOWED 34-38 ABUSE AND SEX OFFENDER CASES IN SUMMIT COUNTY TO REINFORCE OUR SUPPORT OF VICTIMS AND TO SEND A MESSAGE TO ALL THAT SOMEONE IS WATCHING AND MAKING SURE THE PUNISHMENT FITS THE CRIMES FOR THE SEXUAL OFFENDERS. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2021, MOST OF THE COURTS WERE STILL NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO WE HOPE TO GET BACK TO THE COURTS IN 2022. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUMMIT COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS ONGOING. THEY HELP US WITH SCHEDULING AND CONTACT US WHEN A VICTIM REQUESTS OUR PRESENCE. GASP IS ALSO THE ONLY PROFESSIONALLY-TRAINED VOLUNTEER SEARCH TEAM IN THE COUNTRY. WE ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN A PERSON GOES MISSING.