THE REAL COST

The Real Cost of Locating a Missing Child

Every time a child goes missing, time becomes the most critical resource. For parents and guardians, the worry is immediate and overwhelming. For organizations like Saved in America (SIA), the urgency translates into action—meticulously coordinated efforts carried out by volunteer professionals who dedicate their lives to bringing children home. But these missions come at a cost.

Our Founders Created the Blueprint for Efficient Operations

While public law enforcement agencies dedicate considerable resources to investigating missing child cases, their capabilities are often stretched across jurisdictions and competing priorities. According to recent assessments, county law enforcement task forces average approximately $67,058 per recovery—and that's only for personnel costs.

By contrast, Saved in America has streamlined its recovery model, ensuring effective, focused missions led by highly trained former Navy SEALs, law enforcement officers, and intelligence specialists who now serve as licensed private investigators. Our recoveries average $22,975 per operation, which includes all necessary expenses—from equipment and transportation to lodging, coordination, and operational costs.

Saved in America’s Streamlined Process

Each operation typically spans five and a half days and involves a specialized team including:

• Command leadership

• A dedicated law enforcement liaison to coordinate with jurisdictions

• Technical operations professionals to gather and analyze intelligence

• Operators who conduct field surveillance and undercover missions

• Clerical and administrative support

These missions also require travel and mobile operations infrastructure, which becomes even more crucial when our recoveries extend outside of San Diego County.

Despite the lean cost structure, every mission represents an extraordinary commitment of time, skill, and resources. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are able to provide these services at no cost to parents or guardians, allowing families in crisis to focus on what matters most—reuniting with their children.

When you donate to Saved in America, you're not just giving money. You're investing in hope, safety, and the recovery of our nation’s most vulnerable. Every dollar helps fuel the next mission, fund the next operation, and bring one more child back home.

Join us in making a difference. Because every child deserves to be found.