When six-year-old Tania Murrell disappeared from Edmonton, Alberta, in 1983, the search efforts for her received national media attention and inspired the first non-profits in Canada dedicated to the search for missing children.
These first search agencies focused on public awareness and prevention programs. With the exception of poster distributions, little attention was put on the actual search for missing children or on support of searching families.
Out of this need to do more for searching families, the Missing Children Society of Canada was created.
1986
May 25th is officially declared “National Missing Children’s Day” in Canada by then Solicitor General Perrin Beatty.
In November 1986, the MCSC was created by our founder and first Executive Director, Rhonda Morgan. Wanting to take a more hands-on role in the search for missing children, Rhonda trained to become a licensed professional investigator in 1985. She went on to found MCSC and develop its comprehensive search program called Project: Reunite to assist police and searching parents in the active and ongoing search for missing children. Rhonda continued to lead MCSC as Executive Director for the next 23 years.
1996
MCSC coordinates its first “Light The Way Home” campaign to mark the month of May leading up to National Missing Children’s Day on May 25th.
2003
Barb Snider, a long-time International Case Manager for MCSC, received the Our Missing Children Award of Excellence in 2003. The award recognized Barb Snider's dedication to the search for missing children, and her demonstrated excellence and impact in the field.
2006
The Missing Children Society of Canada is officially recognized by the RCMP National Missing Children Services. In 2006, MCSC was awarded the Air Canada Kids’ Horizons/RCMP Child Recovery Award in recognition of our efforts in the search for and safe recovery of missing children.
2008
Barb Snider, an International Case Manager with MCSC, marked her 25th year of service in the search for missing children. Please read our
news story for more information about Barb's career.
2009
In October 2009, Rhonda Morgan was honoured for marking 25 years of service in the search for missing children. For more information on this achievement, please read our news story.
2010
In January 2010, MCSC welcomed the appointment of a new Executive Director, Amanda Pick. Following a lengthy period of planning, the appointment marked the transition of leadership from Rhonda Morgan, the organization’s founder and previous Executive Director. The transition marked a period of change for the organization, as it looks to the future to embrace new approaches while continuing to build on the legacy of reuniting families across this country and internationally. For more information about the announcement, please read our news story.
2011
This year will mark MCSC’s 25th anniversary of assisting police and searching families in the active and ongoing search for missing children.