Message from the President and Founder of Project Jason:
Before June 13th, 2001, we were just an ordinary family living a peaceful, happy existence. My husband, Jim, and I worked outside the home, spent time with our two wonderful sons, attended Mass every Sunday, and enjoyed the company of family and friends. On that fateful Wednesday, our lives changed forever. Our family unit was brutally ripped apart when our oldest son, Jason, then age 19, disappeared without a trace from our driveway. His younger brother, Michael, was the last to see him dragging our trashcans up from the curb while waiting for a carpool ride to his part-time job. No clues about Jason's disappearance have been found to this day, and circumstances do not point to his being a runaway.
Words cannot describe what it is like to have a loved one disappear. We are not allowed a goodbye or one last hug. We receive no phone calls or letters. We long to hear Jason's voice and know that he is doing well, but have only the endless grief of not knowing. The seasons come and go, oblivious to our constant pain. When icy winter covers the ground with its beautiful, deadly blanket of snow, we can't help but long to find out if he is safe and warm. Yet we are not allowed to know. Our faith in God helps us hope that he is safe and well, and lets us know that we will see him again someday. We chose to go on with our lives while striving to fulfill God's plan for our family.
When we were not able to locate our son, we felt that God was calling us to help other families find missing loved ones and cope with their disappearance. Although we will never give up hope that Jason will be found, or come home, we must move forward. Along the way, we have performed other tasks to fulfill our mission. After doing much research, we discovered that unlike many other states, Nebraska currently had no true clearinghouse to provide information about missing persons. Therefore, we presented LB111, Jason's Law, to the State Judiciary Committee. On National Missing Children's Day, May 25, 2005, Jason's Law was passed. It allows for the creation of a state missing persons clearinghouse to gather and disseminate information about missing persons of all ages. Jason's Law and its benefits began on September 3, 2005. Project Jason, founded by Jason’s parents on October 6, 2003, will continue on in its mission to help locate missing people long after the law is enacted.
Project Jason Mission Statement:
"Our mission as a non profit organization is to create and increase public awareness of missing people through a variety of outreach and educational activities. Project Jason seeks to bring hope and assistance to families of the missing by providing resources and support."
The cause of finding the missing sometimes seems to fall between the cracks of society's sidewalk. Having a family member or close friend inexplicably disappear does not happen to everyone, yet it happens more often than you would think. There are no boundaries of age or circumstance to prevent any family from suffering this fate. We never dreamed that we would become such a family, but here we are. In the US, there are over 105,000 active missing persons cases altogether. All of their families deserve help in facing the tragedy of a loved one's disappearance. With your assistance, Project Jason can play an active role in providing them with comfort, assistance and resources while educating the public and increasing awareness of missing persons cases. Take a moment and try to put yourself in the place of these families. Please open your hearts to help us help them. Thank you for your support and generosity.
Kelly Jolkowski
Did you know that......
Project Jason has distributed more than 13,500 personal ID kits, including a Spanish translation?
Project Jason has faciliated the distribution of more than 50,000 posters nationwide through their various poster campaigns?
Project Jason has given out more than 4,750 missing person photo buttons through their Adopt a Missing Person program?
Project Jason has mentored several volunteers to action and passed legislation in 6 states that positively effect missing persons cases?
Project Jason has served over 400 families since their inception in 2003?
Project Jason, in partnership with Target Media, places information about 4 missing persons each month in national trucking magazines which have circulations of 150,000 each?
Project Jason has had a direct impact in the location of numerous missing persons, including a teen missing for 2 years, a sister missing for 7, and a son missing for 14?
Project Jason recently began a new program placing photos and information of missing persons on bus benches?
Project Jason is the first and only assistance organization to offer free, professional counseling online with one of the nation's leading counselors?
Project Jason was the first nonprofit of its type to open an office in the popular virtual world, Second Life, bringing the cause of the missing to a new audience, telling the stories of the missing in an intimate and intriguing style?
We are depending on your generosity to help us continue our work, the work done in Jason's name.
To see how you can help, please click here
View Project Jason's 2007 Summary