What our Volunteers Say

I want each one to know you are a great bunch of caring people I joined in April of this year after the murder of my granddaughter I can't go into a lot of details it is a on going case I am doing this for my
Lexie and all the kids out there some know the details when its over I will explain this group is a God sent please say a prayer for her mom she is a !member also she was admitted to a hospital she is not dealing with this very well tell your kids to please be careful of everyone.

Brenda Gilbert Thompson

I joined in march of this year the reason i decided to step up is because i was once in theses kids shoes i ran away and spent my life in foster care and group homes etc and i never won't these kids to see some of the stuff i have seen.

Melinda Snow

I joined CFSI because I spent most of my juvenile life as a runaway or trying to stay out of danger from circumstances at home. I experienced first hand the dangers of living on the streets and felt a duty to try to locate children that are in danger of the things I encountered.

Kevin W. Westman Sr.

I spent the last 20 years serving as a firefighter/paramedic/tactical medic, and rescue, have always enjoyed helping others...at the beginning of 2015 a coworker of mine niece went missing....of course i jumped at the chance to help....starting posting her flyer, went to the postering party that was held for her....and started researching CFSI....by the end of January, we had found her safe, thanks to this organization....and i had taken the ALS Crisis Management test and the state coordinator test...and like they say the rest is history...now I am honored to be state coodinator for Ohio, and Michigan, and state representative for Ohio BURN....loving every minute of it

James Lewis Love

As like many of the volunteers my reasons were very personal. My son and I were victims of domestic violence and as a result I have full legal custody of him. So his father has not seen us since my son was 5, he is now 13. When I left him he has stalked and followed us. I know if given the chance he would run with my son. I've had to move several times to keep us safe because he has found us. About a year ago a friend was watching him while I worked. I get a phone call at work saying they couldn't find my son for several hours. We had no help. I thought my worse nightmare had come true. The police would not help saying he was not gone long enough to be considered missing. I should mention my son also has aspergers. We finally did find him. He had gotten lost and had fallen off his bike. So awhile back I joined a group that Janie Love is in as well. She shared a picture of a missing child in the group and I started sharing it. After sharing this poster she shared with me about CFSI and asked if I would get involved. She didn't have to ask twice. I never want another parent to feel that feeling about being alone. There is nothing in this world that compares to the feeling of finding a child safe.

Beth Backer

I joined as an advocate for IL in October of 2014. Became State coordinator for IL in November of same year. And now have recently stepped up to include State Coordinator for IA and MO. I have had to locate my own child after she told me she was in one place but located in another. After seeing a friends family go through the despair of two missing children and them being found several hours later angels I made up my mind to help others. Since I was always on social media and saw so many children's flyers I knew I could attempt to help in a small amount just by sharing. I came across a recruiting graphic post that had the same group CFSI/BURN on it. I figured well I have to do this. I clicked the link a joined not even a few hours later I was called by a woman from the group. She introduced herself and asked questions. Asked what all is like to do. I said for now only share flyers as I was very busy. So I began my mission in that by clicking share anytime I saw a flyer. One day during that month I saw a post from a worried parent that their child had not been seen in a few days. This child was not in the flyers I had sent. I shared that post to a woman we now have as vice president. Later after reading more into the organization I asked to climb. This same woman said go for it. I stepped into my role I hold now. I truly didn't know if I was doing anything meaningful until I spoke to my first parent. Hearing their heartfelt pleas to locate their child. That was a motivation I was lacking. But that first Found Safe I was hooked. No better feeling in the world than that of knowing you helped save a child from the crazy world we live in. Found Safe is what we require nothing more. I am not sure how far I will climb in this Organization but I am damn happy to be a part of something that is changing this world for the best.

Loretta Coon

I joined because my friend Dana Guinn C is a member. I saw her posting about missing children so I looked into it and saw what a wonderful thing this organization was doing. After joining I had been asked to help with a friends daughter about my first month. The Found Safe was a thrill for my first case to work on. After that I decided I wanted to learn more. I helped on a few more cases and all were FS but one who is still missing from Heflin, Alabama. After my friend's daighter went missing the second time I began doubting myself in the organization like I know some do at times. Shortly I found myself involved with cases in my own area and my values were charged up again. After my friend's child was found deceased I decided no more if I can help at all. So I decided the best way I can help is climb the ladder in the organization so I can help make changes and do more for these children. To this day I never look back and focus on the good I feel I can do. There are/is no better organization to work for than this organization. And the best of the best people work with us.

David Thompson

The year 2013: After recovering my own daughter ten times and having no help, (CFSI was unknown to me at the time) and going through the death of my children's father, I focused myself on school. In January 2014 I found a CFSI missing flyer of a local child, posted up that I wanted to help out, had her found safe in about 12 hours and the rest is pretty much history, I was hooked. I felt as if I had something more to offer having been the parent of a missing child and knowing firsthand what parents of missing children go through. So, I joined as a volunteer, moved right on up to Advocate and the same evening that "my" first Found Safe as Lead Advocate came through I was also contacted by Chuck Foreman and moved up to State Coordinator. That was around April 12, 2014. I have two Associated Degrees:Sociology and Psychology. Currently I am in school full time working toward a Bachelor's Degree. I am majoring in Sociology with an intense minor in Criminal Justice. While I continue my studies I search daily for missing children, work to build Team Texas, and spread the word about CFSI/BURN/NOMAD by attending marketing events and giving speeches. To end this I would like to say that I am proud of the fact that this daughter of mine, Aspen Stephens, has now joined our Team/Family

Lexie Stephens

I am currently a department supervisor for Home Depot. I have worked there for the last 8 years. Prior to that I have 27 years office experience (insurance and general administrative). My best friend Brenda Gilbert Thompson's granddaughter ran away a few times and CFSI assisted in locating her and bringing her home safely. Unfortunately in March she disappeared again and the outcome was not good. She had been murdered by her best friend and the best friends boyfriend. I also have grandchildren that I would like to keep safe and if the disappeared I would love the assistance in having them found. I felt that volunteering some of my time to assist in locating missing children is the absolute least I can do. I am so proud and honored to be a part of the team.

Alicia Putman

My daughter was abducted by my ex wife, she is to young for CSFI but they still tried to help me. After this occurrence I decided to help other families with finding their children.

Mitchell Fowler

My story has at least one comical point to it. I have been involved in the real estate industry for 16 years so am used to a flexible schedule allowing me to find ways to help out in my community. That was always important to me. I moved to Tennessee in 2009 and spent several years trying to find the right volunteer match for me. I spent time doing Relay for Life, working with the no kill shelter in the area but quickly felt the "clique" atmosphere of an old network. I started looking into how to help with children and signed up as a NCMEC poster partner, that was about all there was available for a citizen concerning missing children. It was highly unfulfilling. Around that time a story was published in the paper about a local child that had disappeared. Shortly after a second story with circumstances identical and the Father's of those children were now working together. THEN the next article which left me saying (literally and out loud) "some hotshot biker, PI, former Special Operations guy from Texas is going to help these families". Lol, that was Chuck. My curiosity was high and I started following the cases closely. I wasn't much of a Facebooker then but the Father of one of those girls became my first Facebook friend I had never met in person, followed by Chuck, the other Father and Teressa. Shortly after I see "Found Safe". The girls were located, not together, but both many States away. I became an avid CFSI follower and after a number of posted Found Safes knew I had found where I belonged. I have been a part of CFSI for more than two years now and currently serve as Organization President. It has been an amazing journey, watching how much it has grown, the successes, the rough times, all of you shining, building relationships with the Team I consider family and having that "hotshot biker, PI, former Special Ops dude" become my nearest and dearest friend. I can't imagine my life without all of this as a central part of it....once you get involved it is a life changer.

Lynn McBride

lots of u know how I started, Myra Lewis, and then Lady gave me Missing in Mississippi page to keep it going for all missing in Mississippi, kept at it, and now share for everyone,I can, from everywhere, to help all lost and missing, unidentified, cold cases, wanted, etc. you all have better writing skills, than grandma, so if you like to write something real nice about me and add me, then you have my permission to do a write up for me, and my permission to share, if I don't qualify cause not a member, then I understand, thanks all, lots of love to u all, happy to help you all anytime.

Angella Kimbriel