Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth

For 30 years Operation Lookout served families whose children vanished without a trace. It was founded in 1984 out of an altruistic response to a child victim crisis. It closed in 2015, when its cofounder, Mike Gibson suffered 3 strokes. It became apparent to us, (Mike and Melody), that we had 'aged out', that technology had grown beyond our knowledge, that the missing child concern was represented by a new generation of caring professionals, and that call center costs were never going to reduce (because federal and state laws did not pass to reduce their fees.) The costs were large but real. It became apparent, the goal that mattered most was child recovery. Our reputation was wounded by costs that ignited investigations . . .we never expected to be taken advantage of, however some call centers acted in a questionable manner that harmed our good name. Our goal was to continue for the sake of searching parents, regardless.
The Caring for Our Children Foundation, was founded in 2001, in hopes of reducing costs and We closed it when its overhead prohibited grants.
Nothing done had a nefarious twist to it, as some reports would lead you to believe. The truth is that we, personally, refinanced our home, went without pay for long seasons, went without unemployment benefits, and still the sacrifices were maligned. It was all problematic, but our calling was to serve families in crisis, and so, in spite of the flack, bad reports, or outright lies, we continued until it was obvious our time of services was no longer needed.
Our trusted board of directors and advisors, and 3rd party accounting service providers, operated above reproach. To imply otherwise, is to imply they had greed or personal gain in mind. Nothing is further from the truth.
In the end, I, MELODY, sought out a board of directors who would bring both nonprofits into Canada as a nonprofit society, giving both a fresh start, away from bad press created in the USA. The attempts failed once I stepped out to retire. The names in Canada were THE VOICE OF A CHILD and Faces of the Lost.
In the end, we look back at these small nonprofits feeling blessed to be there at a time in history when few were available.
Our slogan was, EVERY MISSING CHILD DESERVES THE CHANCE TO BE FOUND. These days, sex trafficking reflects the truth that, more people are needed in this search field, not fewer.
If you have read this far, then we ask that you consider giving willingly to your local or national missing child non profit agency. The more people giving directly with no middleman calling or mailing you for support, the greater the result. Its not wasted. Its not.
The small centers are effective. The large ones may cost more. Whatever the case, give. They count on you to care as much as they do. Just Care.
Because, if not you, then who?
Which is worse? Not giving or giving a portion to find a child?
Be blessed. We have been.
STAY involved in our place.

The charity is now out of business. It appears there were too many investigations into its operations and too many bad reviews elsewhere.

http://law.justia.com/cases/washington/court-of-appeals-division-i/2014/71038-9.html
The individual's in the above court documents are also associated with Faces of the Lost and Voice of a Child.
The individual's have taken their fraud across the border and recruited those in Canada to assist with this 'mission'.

I got a cold call on my newly activated landline, for a "Williams" (not me). I stated that it must be a wrong number, and the caller identified themselves as a charity to help kids with cancer. The caller ID read "Operation Lookou" (sic). Then they proceeded to get me to donate, and I asked for additional information to see where money was being spent. I got a non-answer that they're very responsible with their money. Then I research them on the web and see their dismal record for giving. This pathetic excuse for a charity should be shut down.

Excerpt from the 2011 audit* performed by Martin Eller, CPA-Wyckoff, NJ December 15, 2012: Michael and Melody Gibson Co-founded OPERATION LOOKOUT in 1984 and their input and consulting continues 28 years later. Michael Gibson is the volunteer President, Chairman of the Board, and Head of Case Management. Melody Gibson is Executive Director of the organization and volunteer Treasurer and the wife of Michael Gibson. Michael Gibson was paid a wage of $18,394 and Melody Gibson was paid a wage of $16,979. Both Michael and Melody Gibson reduced their time in their organization and is now considered ‘semi-retired’. Any compensation received by either party in 2011 is based on unpaid past due wages from previous years that was approved by the Board of Directors. Melody Gibson, Executive Director and volunteer Treasurer, is a member of the Board of Trustees of Caring For Our Children Foundation, serving as the Treasurer. Caring For Our Children Foundation gave $1050 in grants** to Operation Lookout in 2011.***

COST-ALLOCATION: The use of funds, as shown on the IRS 990 reports, reflect that a portion of the ‘fundraising’ cost is allocated to a ‘program’ element, mandated by contract. The respective nonprofit websites provide full disclosure on the IRS 990, AUDIT and PIE CHART showing distribution of funds.

Caring For Our Children Foundation’s mission in 2001 was solely to raise funds for OPERATION LOOKOUT (and later included giving to other select under-funded nonprofits serving child victims of crime, poverty, and neglect). The mission has grown to include grant giving, job training, benevolence, fiscal sponsorship, and administrative assistance.

OPERATION LOOKOUT’S mission since 1984 has been singular to provide no charge crisis intervention and assistance to families whose children are missing, abducted, or runaway. Program includes but is not limited to providing case management, encouraging media and community participation and outreach, volunteerism, law enforcement and authorities liaison, and more.

The OPERATION LOOKOUT Helpline: 1-800-LOOKOUT and 1-800-771-SEEK is manned 24/7 by Kelley’s Answering Service Medical Emergency Division. This generous business has contributed its professional services over 20 years to OPERATION LOOKOUT. Their representatives screen and triage any ‘life-threatening situation’ (asking, “What is the nature of your emergency?”) Emergent callers are dispatched to an ‘on-call’ case manager - community volunteers have proven unable to provide this level of excellence required.

Dialing for Support - One of the business models used to raise funds since the founding of both nonprofits has been to outsource fundraising and encouraging Citizen involvement. Such promotional efforts include brand marketing, a call to action, and fundraising. Call centers are mandated by contract to provide a duel service including a programmatic element. A Public Service Announcement (PSA) such as asking for volunteer poster distribution in ones community, or telling a parent how to learn the whereabouts of registered sex predators nearby may be infused into the communication either at time of call or upon receiving a mailed packet. The call center must cover all costs with no portion of the cost falling on the shoulders of the nonprofit whether the venture is profitable or not. A percentage or revenue split of the weekly proceeds insures the nonprofit of having net, free and clear minimum income streams, insuring the organization of ongoing sustainable funds dedicated solely to ‘program’. On a quarterly basis, some contracts compare cost vs income assuring the charity of no over-charges vs income still due to the charity. In recent years, the economic environment has, more often than not, cost the call centers more than their payment. Such losses are not charged to the nonprofit.

REDUCED DONATIONS: From time to time, like with any business during an economic crisis, a non-profit may downsize to a skeleton crew or delay paychecks. Timely communication and resolve follow soon after. Authorities respect and understand this financial draught.

COMPUTER UPGRADES - Occasionally a nonprofit must upgrade its computer system to avoid loss of critical data and communications from a languishing computer system. In 2012 OPERATION LOOKOUT purchased 2 refurbished computers and a scanner in response to this critical need.

* The 2011 IRS 990 and audit is available upon request by email or mail. The reports are posted annually on the respective websites. The 2011 reports were released by the CPA for public disclosure January 2013.

** CFOC was founded in 2001 to provide free and clear grants from net funds to Operation Lookout for aid in locating missing, abducted and runaway children.
Caring For Our Children Foundation provided grants to OPERATION LOOKOUT in 2007 - $45,954; in 2008 - $61,561; in 2009 - $27,805 ; in 2010 - $4,850; in 2011 - $1,050.

***The respective organizations are separate entities with different missions, different office venues, separate accounting and reporting procedures provided by 3rd party professionals to insure the public of disclosure transparency. The common thread between the organizations is the dedication of Ms. Gibson, whose heart and expertise has benefitted at-risk children and their families for many years. CFOC provides data entry and administrative assistance to OPERATION LOOKOUT, allowing it to remain focused solely on child search and case management.

I think people need to be aware of this "non-profit" organization before committing any time or money. Earlier this year my daughter worked at Operation Lookout in Everett, Wa. She started as an intern and provided over 100 hours of free labor. Eventually she accepted a part time, close to minimum wage, position. She was amazed at the last of managment over a staff of 3-5 people. She was always frustrated with the lack of effort by a few and more so the lack of concern by the Directors. After payroll checks regularily bounce employees are told they have to wait for contributions to finally get their wages. She was disturbed to see $1000's spent on, in her observation, unnecessary lap tops and office equiptment to replace equiptment that was still funtional. She recently gave her two week notice and left for a new job. Days later her $139 payroll check was returned to her bank as dishonored. Phone calls to the Directors went no where. She was told by the treasurer that she would have to wait until funding came. I called and spoke with the treasurer to get an explanation. I got the same rhetoric. "It's not our fault" "the State of Washington Eployment Security and Labor and Industries won't do anything because they understand businesses are struggling" "we are a non-profit" is exactly what she told us. Unbelievable! My daughter is concerned about her final check, which has not been issued, and wonders if she will be shorted. Apparently this is a regular event. Why do employees have to wait weeks to get paid for hours worked. They are not volunteers. The employees have committed their time under the promise of being paid. I would never contribute any of my time or money to Operation Lookout.

I am extremely concerned about this charity and an affiliate "Caring for our Children Foundation". I looked at both of their audits, Caring for our Children Foundation paid over $566,000 for telemarketers, which the Federal Trade Commission shows as a Defendant and Operation Lookout paid over $1,200,000 to telemarketers for fundraising. Charity Watch gives them both an F rating. Both are under Mike & Melody Gibson. Caring for our Children Foundation gave a $4800 grant to Operation Lookout, the only money they have as a "grant" and both are under water. The Federal Trade Commission says they "funnel" their money to their affiliates and give little or no money to charities. Why haven't these charities been investigated. Again, Mike Gibson President of Operation Lookout, total donations: $1,304,954, total Expenses: $1,341,541. Melody Gibson is Executive Director of Operation Lookout & Tresurer of Caring for our Children Foundation

Charity's Comments Regarding Solicitation Report.
Accounting rules require a nonprofit to clearly communicate when it allocates a portion of its budget to ‘program’ combined with fundraising efforts. OPERATION LOOKOUT National Center for Missing Youth makes this distinction and has done so for many years. A ‘joint cost allocation’ is reported in the IRS 990 reports, yet there are times others’ reports reflect part of a picture. This multi-tasking activity has been this non profit's business model since its founding. Along with countless of casework man-hours given to assisting parents with child-search, additionally, getting the faces of missing, abducted, and runaway children out to the public via printed matter, blast emailings, and mail has always been a critical piece to the puzzle. This action received by thousands of interest citizens and passed forward to others serves to seek, to find, and to recover missing children. The business model of this outreach being performed additionally by a call center when making citizen contact for sponsorship and volunteer support is a working model that saves OPERATION LOOKOUT man hour costs and precious time needed to work with desperate families.

To imply otherwise is to place blame and a huge burden of tasks and activities on case managers' shoulders that is otherwise best performed by the hired services and willing volunteers. THIS HAS BEEN A WIN-WIN for all of these years, yet in recent years, it is not comprehended and it is treated as a poor reflection on ethics and policies of the organization. Donor dollars are respected and deeply appreciated--without it broad scope picture distribution (hands on help for parents in geographies they cannot reach) would be limited to a smaller sphere of influence when a global view is required. Without the motivation of 'the call' financial support nearly vanishes and thus would the service that has been provided since 1984.

OPERATION LOOKOUT has outsourced its ‘public service’ messages with dialing for dollars since 1984. This ‘coupling’ means the charity cost effectively duel-tasks outreach to thousands of caring USA citizens Working Together When Every Minutes Matters. This expense is neither ‘excessive’ nor ‘ineffective’, and reports such as this misinterpretations and discredits a powerful tool of outreach – making ‘recoveries’ OPERATION LOOKOUT'S most important end result - - our measuring stick. For more information about the services OL provides--always free of any charge for families whose children are missing, visit www.operationlookout.org. SEE 990 page 10 under cost allocation and the related PIE CHART on the website, both provided per the independent bookkeeping service and the CPA firm providing the annual IRS 990 reports and audit.

Working together with our intensely dedicated casework staff, professionals and volunteer citizens means increased hope that a missing child will be found. In 2010, according to the IRS 990 report JOINT COST ALLOCATION PAGE 10 LINES 25 and 26, 57.3% of every dollar raised goes to promotional efforts: communicating where to turn for help; who needs help via a sampling of missing children pictures; asking for volunteer help; and requesting financial support. Moreover, 40.24% is dedicated solely to missing child case management and parental crisis intervention. Management and general remains at a low 4.63%.

As OPERATION LOOKOUT'S cofounders, Mike and Melody Gibson, now semi-retired after 28 years of commitment to this cause, are saddened by disparaging remarks and misinformation that gains a cyber-life of its own with little regard to the harm caused. Out-sourcing some of the community outreach work to a call center has broadened the scope in which the nonprofit organization can focus its attention on its registered families from the USA and other countries.

Any donor that prefers not to give over the phone is encouraged to give directly, thus their contribution goes into 'child search program' and none will go to the expense of an outbound call. Visit www.operationlookout.org. For an info packet or to make a comment or inquire about registering a missing child, or to report a sighting call 1-800-LOOKOUT (566-5688), 1-800-782-SEEK (7335), 425-771-SEEK (7335). Write to OPERATION LOOKOUT 6320 Evergreen Way Ste 201 Everett, WA. 98203.

I worked for this organization form early 1996 through late 1998 - (and was forced to volunteer for the "other" charity as part of my job description). THE ONLY PURSPOSE OF THIS CHARITY and the founder's other charity - CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN FOUNDATION, - is to support Michael and Melody Gibson ! This is achieved by extremely unethical, bordering on illegal, operation strategies for both charities. They get your attention by using logos that are very close to those of REAL charities such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the spy glass image used by St. Jude's Hospital, and the almost identical Children of the World. Although they claim an 82% success rate, this organization has absolutely no true claims of even aiding in the location of any missing child ! Their services include and intake questionaire and donated posters to send to the area of the missing child ! Period ! Give you money to a REAL charity, not this scam.