1950’s
1959
Created and formed International Orphans Inc. on behalf of eleven
Amerasian orphans found on the street & rescued by Sara O’Meara &
Yvonne Fedderson after a severe typhoon.
1960’s
1960 -1974
Built and maintained four orphanages in Japan. Later asked by Congress to replicate their successes by building five orphanages, a hospital, and a school in Vietnam.
1970’s
1975
Coordinated Operation Babylift, rescuing thousands of Amerasian orphans from uncertain futures at the end of the Vietnam War, arranging adoptions in America.
President Ronald and Nancy Reagan enlist the help of Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson to help address a silent epidemic – child abuse & neglect in the United States.
1978
Founded the first Childhelp residential treatment village in America exclusively for abused and severely neglected children located in Beaumont, California.
1979
Established a National Child Abuse Prevention Month by
proclamation of President Jimmy Carter.
1980’s
1980
A Time for Love, Childhelp’s first television special on child abuse and neglect, is aired and syndicated coast-to-coast.
1982
Founded the first National 24-hour 7 days a week toll-free hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD) for child abuse support, staffed by top degreed crisis counselor professionals.
Co-sponsored in France a NATO Advanced Study Institute on Research and Innovation in Child Abuse and Neglect.
1983
Served as an officer on the International Union for Child Welfare Board.
1984
Childhelp produces and airs a national telethon on child abuse, “Will We Hear Their Cry?”
1985
Childhelp opens a western regional office which houses the National Child Abuse Hotline, family program and psycho-social assessments for abused children and their families.
1986
A Childhelp Residential Village after-care program is designed to serve those children discharged from the village, but who still require support to complete their healing process.
1987
Childhelp opens group homes in Orange County, California in conjunction with the Department of Children’s Services.
1988
New Childhelp Chapters are established in Arizona, Maryland and Virginia.
1989
Childhelp California Foster Family Program launches, a program that provides short and long-term therapeutic foster care for abused and neglected children. additionally, acquired licensing to serve children with adoptions.
1990’s
1990
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline expands, capable of handling up to 5 times the call volume per year due to adding a computerized telephone system.
1991
Childhelp purchases 270 acres of land in Culpepper, Virginia to build a new East Coast residential treatment facility for abused and neglected children bearing the name of its major benefactor Alice C. Tyler.
1992
Childhelp launches the first of its kind Adult Survivor program, an ongoing therapy and support group for those who have survived abuse.
1993
The Alice C. Tyler Village of Childhelp East opens in Culpepper, Virginia. Dedicated by former First Lady Barbara Bush.
1994
A new Childhelp Southern Regional Office, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, opens its offices.
1995
Childhelp opens Children’s Center of Tennessee, an advocacy center for severely abused children.
1996
Led and participated in Stand for Children March in Washington, DC.
Childhelp celebrates the grand opening of its new corporate headquarters and relocation of the national Child Abuse Hotline to Scottsdale, Arizona.
1997
Childhelp website launches on the internet, childhelpusa.org
1998
Childhelp opens Children’s Center of Arizona, a first-of-its-kind child advocacy center model that co-locates the entire multidisciplinary team: law enforcement, prosecutors, child protective services, medical services, therapists, and more — a model replicated nationwide.
1999
Childhelp Chapters and Auxiliaries are chartered across the US and continue to grow to this day.
2000’s
2000
Successfully advocated Congress to pass a bill, which passed unanimously, acknowledging Childhelp National Day of Hope, the first Wednesday of every April — Child Abuse Prevention Month, a day reserved for people across the nation to pray and observe a moment of silence on behalf of the five children die each day from severe abuse.
Celebrity and friend Merv Griffin donates his 192-acre property in Wickenburg, Arizona, which is converted into another residential treatment center for abused and neglected children. In 2002 the facility opens and is named Childhelp Merv Griffin Village of Arizona in his honor.
2001
Childhelp opens its first mobile children’s Advocacy Center in Tennessee, the first of its kind in the US.
2002
Childhelp Children’s Center of Virginia, an advocacy center for abused children opens.
2003
Another Childhelp mobile children’s Advocacy Center begins services in Northern Arizona.
2004
Sara O’Meara & Yvonne Fedderson’s book Silence Broken is published, highlighting Childhelp’s beginnings and robust history.
2005
A Childhelp Therapeutic Foster Care program opens in Michigan.
2006
Childhelp initiates legislation to authorize the establishment of a national registry that will follow child abusers from state to state. It was enacted by President George W. Bush under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
For the Love of a Child, a Lifetime movie about Childhelp and its founding premieres.
Childhelp East Tennessee Foster Agency launches, an agency that provides short and long-term therapeutic foster care for abused and neglected children. additionally, acquired licensing to serve children with adoptions.
2007
Childhelp Alert launches, a system that proactively notifies subscribers when a registered sex offender moves into their neighborhood.
2008
Broadcasted Childhelp Crystal Darkness anti-meth campaign in states across North America.
2009
All U.S. Governors with a show of bipartisan support commit to the Childhelp Governor’s Resolution to Eradicate Child Abuse.
Childhelp launches “End Child Abuse Now” national bus tour.
2010’s
2011
Launched Childhelp Speak Up, Be Safe curriculum with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The curriculum would later become the first evidence-based child abuse and neglect prevention education curriculum for Pre-K-12th grade. Florida becomes first state to mandate prevention education in every school across the entire state (over 400 schools).
Childhelp is asked to join Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s task force of 19 experts in the field and help develop a plan for child safety reform in Arizona.
2012
Childhelp launches a new prevention program for Athletes as a response to abuse in youth sports, underwritten by an Olympic consultant company.
2014
Childhelp.org website receives an update and expansion, providing additional information about the organization and child abuse prevention resources to visitors worldwide.
2016
Arizona Governor proclaims in a formal acknowledgment that the first Wednesday in April becomes the Childhelp National Day of Hope in the state of Arizona.
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline partners with Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC, a satellite hotline branch.
2019
Expanded chat and text capabilities nationwide for the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, saving over 200 million victims since its inception.
U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity selects Childhelp’s Speak Up Be Safe program as their official abuse prevention curriculum for military base schools.
Current Day
2020
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline becomes a lifeline for children, families, and survivors during coronavirus pandemic, seeing up to 43% increase in calls as national child welfare lines showed decreases.
2021
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline becomes a lifeline for children, families, and survivors during coronavirus pandemic, seeing up to 43% increase in calls as national child welfare lines showed decreases.
Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe is the first Pre-K–12th grade child abuse prevention education curriculum listed as evidence-based by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse.
2022
Launched Childhelp Courage First Athlete Helpline, geared toward athletes to combat abuse in sports in partnership with the Foundation for Global Sports Development.
2023
Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe celebrates one million students protected by the program since inception. In addition, the program expands to include students in Japan among international delivery of prevention education curriculum.
2024
Google chooses Childhelp and announces that any search related to child abuse, neglect, sex trafficking terms, etc. nationwide will be the first resource at the top of the page and will direct seekers to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.
In partnership with Media 360, Childhelp launches “The Survivor Series: Dare to Care” podcast to amplify survivors’ voices and celebrate their journey to healing.
The State of Tennessee recognizes September 9th as “Sara O’Meara Day” in honor of her lifetime of service to Tennessee and the children of America.