Who we are

The Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults (Cleveland Family) was founded to support families in crisis after one Cleveland family endured a heartbreaking nine-year search for their missing 14-year-old daughter. Co-founded by Gina DeJesus and her cousin, Sylvia Colon, the Cleveland Family Center is dedicated to offering comprehensive, direct assistance to families and friends of missing persons, from the initial missing person’s report all the way through recovery.

The center's mission is centered around providing a broad range of services free of charge, ensuring that no family has to struggle for resources while navigating the overwhelming experience of searching for a missing loved one. The Cleveland Family Center is the only organization of its kind focused entirely on these efforts, offering tailored support through each stage of the search process. This includes working closely with law enforcement to provide specialized training on how to interact with families of the missing, as well as offering sensitivity training for when missing individuals are recovered.

The Cleveland Family Center draws on the expertise of its board members, which includes law enforcement officials experienced in dealing with abductions, human trafficking, and internet crimes. Other board members have backgrounds in trauma, nursing, and psychotherapy, allowing the center to provide holistic support to affected families. Additionally, the center maintains a comprehensive and constantly updated database to connect families with the most current resources available.

As part of their commitment to these families, the Cleveland Family Center is devoted to being a beacon of support, offering not just practical resources, but emotional guidance as well, and helping to bridge the gap between families and law enforcement. Every service is provided at no cost, reaffirming their belief that no family should have to "beg for resources" while searching for their missing loved ones.