Until Oct. 1, 1993, the day that Polly was kidnapped, most Americans were unaware of the Klaas family name. But 2 months later, when the truth of Polly’s tragedy was revealed, Klaas was a household name. Violet and I utilized that newfound recognition to create a child safety agenda and a victim’s rights agenda, which resonated throughout the country.
Here is a brief outline of the KlaasKids Foundation’s history. Click on the headers to see a photo history:
Legislation
Pursue a criminal justice agenda designed to hold criminals accountable, aid the public in protecting themselves, and ensure safe streets and neighborhoods.
Key Accomplishments
- Although only the tip of the iceberg, both the “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law and Megan’s Law were significant legislative measures in the 1990s aimed at enhancing public safety.
- Megan’s Law has been effective in increasing public awareness about sex offenders, which can help communities take precautions and potentially deter offenders.
- The Three Strikes law did contribute to reducing crime rates, particularly in the short term, by incapacitating repeat offenders.
- Other significant legislative achievements include assisting President Clinton pass the omnibus 1994 Crime Act, the Amber Alert (State & Federal), the Adam Walsh Act, etc. Most recently CA SB 285, which excludes certain heinous criminals from resentencing consideration.
Search & Rescue
The KlaasKids Foundation’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team was a dedicated group that has been actively involved in search and rescue missions since the foundation’s inception in 1994.
Key Aspects of the SAR Team
- Mission: Their primary mission is to assist families in locating missing relatives. We participated in more than 1,500 Search & Rescue Missions.
- Professional Volunteers: The team trained more than 1,600 trained professional SAR volunteers.
- Impact: The team has played a crucial role in the recovery of 73 women and children involved in sex trafficking across the country.
- Resources: The foundation also provides a comprehensive Search & Rescue Community Resource Manual, which consolidates decades of knowledge to help communities organize effective volunteer search efforts.
Print-A-Thon
The KlaasKids Print-A-Thon was a significant initiative by the KlaasKids Foundation aimed at enhancing child safety. Here are some key details:
Key Features
- Free Fingerprinting and Photographing: The Print-A-Thon provided free fingerprinting and photographing services for children. This was done without storing any personal or private information.
- Wide Reach: Over the years, the program fingerprinted and photographed more than one million children.
- Community Engagement: The events were often held in community settings, making it easy for families to participate and ensuring a broad reach.
- Purpose: The primary goal was to create identification records that parents could use in case their child went missing. These records could be crucial for law enforcement in the initial stages of a search.
Media
Marc Klaas became a prominent figure in the media following his daughter’s tragic kidnapping and murder in 1993. He frequently appeared on television to advocate for child safety and to raise awareness about missing children.
- 1993 Onwards: Marc Klaas began making regular TV appearances shortly after Polly’s abduction in October 1993. His appearances were aimed at keeping the public informed about the search efforts and advocating for stronger child protection laws.
- Frequent Appearances: Over the years, he has been a frequent guest on shows like Larry King Live, CNN Headline News, Oprah, Phil Donahue, Leeza Gibbons, Nancy Grace, and more. These platforms allowed him to reach a wide audience and keep Polly’s story in the public eye.
- Advocacy and Awareness: His media presence has been instrumental in promoting legislative changes and supporting other families of missing children. He has continued to be a vocal advocate for child safety through the KlaasKids Foundation.
KlaasKids Website
Key Features: The KlaasKids Foundation website, KlaasKids.org, is a comprehensive resource dedicated to child safety, victim’s rights, and advocacy. KlaasKids.org was established in 1994. KlaasKids.org is a comprehensive resource dedicated to child safety and advocacy.
- Throughout its history KlaasKids.org remained one of the most popular websites through constant and regular updates, ever-expanding content, and groundbreaking legislative and SAR tools always available to the public at no cost.
Key Features
- Educational Resources: The website offers various safety tips and resources for parents and children, including DIY DNA kits and home fingerprint kits.
- Megan’s Law Information: It provides detailed information about Megan’s Law, including a comparative analysis of each state’s implementation and up-to-date sex offender statistics.
- Search and Rescue: KlaasKids offered no-cost SAR assistance through the website that assisted more than 1,500 families.
- Print-A-Thon: Although the Print-A-Thon program has been discontinued, it previously provided free fingerprinting and photographing services for over one million children.
Mission and Legacy
The foundation was established in 1994 in memory of Polly Klaas, with the mission to stop crimes against children and create a safer world for future generations. After 30 years of proactive involvement, the foundation will be closing its doors on December 31, 2024, but remains proud of its legacy and accomplishments.