The Joyful Child Foundation

The Joyful Child Foundation -­ In Memory of Samantha Runnion
is dedicated to the prevention of crimes against children (all forms of abuse, exploitation, bullying, abduction, and trafficking) through programs
that educate, empower, and unite families and communities

In order to fulfill our mission, The Joyful Child will:
•  Be the resource for concerned parents to engage in the movement to stop predatory crimes against children.
•  Make proactive education and empowerment tools available to all children and families.
•  Facilitate collaboration among individuals, non-profit organizations, businesses, and government to ensure that safety education and community organizing for child protection continue in perpetuity.

In 2002, during what became nationally known as The Summer of Abduction, five-year-old Samantha Runnion was abducted and murdered while playing outside her home. In the tragic aftermath, her parents learned that children are the most highly victimized population of any demographic in the country—and that no special protections or safety measures exist to insulate any particular group of children over another.

Just three months later, Samantha’s parents formed The Joyful Child Foundation, determined to create a lasting legacy that would protect children from the full spectrum of crimes committed against them. The Foundation’s name honors the joy that Samantha so freely shared with everyone, and its signature Be Brave – Be Safe Empowerment Program (BRAVE Program) draws inspiration from Samantha’s personal motto of encouragement to her friends and family.

For nearly 23 years, The Joyful Child has researched, developed, and implemented prevention education programs focused on the needs of children and families. The cornerstone BRAVE Program is grounded in the belief that effective prevention must begin from a child’s perspective. It teaches realistic strategies to recognize and avoid danger, self-advocate, and verbally or physically resist violence, abuse, or abduction. BRAVE empowers children and their families with critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills—encouraging them to use their voices and create individualized family safety plans.

In 2013, The Joyful Child launched the full 10-Lesson BRAVE Elementary Curriculum for credentialed teachers, along with BRAVE Workshops designed for nonprofits serving young families in transitional and low-income housing, as well as in subsidized after-school programs.

In 2018, to expand access and reach, The Joyful Child began producing BRAVE Video Lessons for children in Grades K–6. These engaging videos empower young learners to assert personal boundaries and respond effectively to unsafe situations.

In 2022, with support from the Orange County Department of Education, The Joyful Child developed three BRAVE Video Lessons and accompanying teacher training for Early Learners (Pre-Kindergarten). These resources have been distributed to all Early Learning Centers in Orange County and are also accessible to school and community partners through custom websites. Each site includes grade-specific lessons, teacher training videos, and resources for parents and caring adults.

In 2024 The Joyful Child partnered with Healing To You (H2Y) for a project supported by funding from the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) American Rescue Plan COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines, and Mobile Health Unit Supplemental Funding Program, administered through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Together, we published our first BRAVE Comic Book with a QR Code linking to trauma-informed video lessons. The Comic Book is a tangible resource that introduces the core principles of safety empowerment in an accessible and engaging format. These materials are distributed through H2Y’s medical and mental health mobile units to survivors of domestic violence in Orange, Riverside, and San Diego Counties.

The BRAVE Program offers a joyful, empowering approach to safety education from a child’s perspective. It helps children recognize and avoid danger, speak up for themselves, and effectively resist violence, sexual abuse, exploitation, bullying, trafficking, and abduction. The Joyful Child Foundation (TJCF), with a small but passionate staff of three, has sustained its work thanks to a committed network of volunteers—many of whom are experienced professionals in education and have served for more than a decade. Their dedication has allowed TJCF to develop, refine, and deliver impactful safety education programs across communities.
To date, nearly 500 educators have been trained to teach BRAVE Lessons, reaching thousands of children who are now better prepared to protect themselves and others. TJCF is now poised to expand its reach by launching both new and existing BRAVE Lessons online via a learner-centered platform featuring robust analytics. This will allow us to track engagement and outcomes, ensure quality, and make positive safety education accessible to every child, regardless of location.

The combination of the BRAVE Comic Book’s broad visual and narrative appeal, our research-based curriculum, and the ability to deliver and assess lessons at scale positions TJCF to demonstrate the measurable impact of BRAVE Lessons like never before. We are confident this next step will accelerate our mission to better protect and empower every child. Together, we can unite our communities to foster a generation of young people grounded in courage, integrity, and confidence with the tools to safely navigate an increasingly complex and often dangerous world.

The Joyful Child is seeking funding to invest in the equipment, software, and multi-disciplinary expertise necessary to efficiently leverage technology to scale, measure, and enhance new and existing BRAVE Lessons in Orange County and ultimately, anywhere online. This investment will strengthen TJCF’s capacity to share critical lessons, raise awareness, and inspire action—compelling caring adults from every sector to scale the impact of BRAVE to protect and empower children nationwide.

The Joyful Child Foundation provides in-person programming to schools and organizations serving the most vulnerable children and families in Southern California. Additionally, our BRAVE Comic Book includes a link to free online BRAVE Lessons, which may be shared with schools and youth-serving agencies nationwide. While our roots are in Orange County, our vision is national. Our goal is to reach every child in America with empowering, accessible, and engaging safety education. With the upcoming launch of our enhanced online platform in 2026—integrated with the BRAVE Comic Book—we will have the capacity to scale our impact and fulfill our mission: to better protect and empower every child to be brave and safe.

The Joyful Child Foundation is dedicated to codifying a scalable, community-based model of child safety intervention—one that empowers children, raises awareness among parents and educators, and promotes best practices to prevent the full spectrum of childhood victimization. We are one of the few organizations in the United States solely focused on preventing crimes against children in all their forms.

Children are the most victimized population in the country. It is conservatively estimated that one in five girls and one in ten boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. More than 800,000 children are reported missing every year. The devastating impact of childhood trauma is well documented, contributing to lifelong health disparities and significant societal costs.

The Joyful Child works to end violence against children by engaging teachers, parents, nonprofit partners, and law enforcement in comprehensive, community-driven programming. Our BRAVE Programs empower children to recognize danger, assert boundaries, and seek help. They also educate adults to proactively prevent abuse and exploitation by recognizing warning signs and reinforcing protective behaviors.

When adults in every community are educated and empowered to recognize predatory behaviors and teach children how to make brave, safe, and healthy choices, we can deter abuse and protect our most vulnerable population. Together, we can empower a generation and build a safer world for all children.

Thank you for considering an investment in our mission. As we approach our 25th anniversary, your gift will help launch BRAVE Online and make safety empowerment education available to every child.

With joyful gratitude,
Erin D. Runnion
Founder & Executive Director
The Joyful Child Foundation – In Memory of Samantha Runnion
Non-profit Tax ID: 55-0794474
P.O. Box 12680, Westminster, CA 92685
(866) 756-9385
https://linktr.ee/thejoyfulchild

Serving as Chairwoman of a nonprofit dedicated to protecting children has taught me something important: people rarely need convincing that this work matters. The value of safeguarding children is widely understood. What truly requires effort is turning that shared belief into meaningful, sustained action.

For nearly 25 years, The Joyful Child Foundation has transformed compassion into impact - raising close to $7 million, engaging hundreds of volunteers, and equipping nearly 500 educators and youth professionals with the tools to protect and empower children. Along the way, Samantha’s story has touched countless hearts, while Erin’s spirit continues to inspire a collective commitment to prevention, advocacy and policy change.

Our journey has been one of steady evolution. We began by encouraging neighborhoods and school communities to come together to build awareness, foster vigilance, and strengthen local connections. As momentum grew, so did our reach. We partnered with law enforcement and educational institutions, expanding our ability to influence systems as well as individuals. Each step forward has allowed us to deepen our impact and amplify our message.

Today, we stand at a pivotal moment. Drawing on everything we’ve learned, we are working toward a bold vision: delivering a comprehensive, accessible online curriculum to students in K-12 schools nationwide. This next phase represents not just growth, but transformation.

Yet with this ambition comes a renewed challenge, one that has remained constant at every stage: inspiring people to move beyond agreement and into action. It is not enough to care. We must speak up, step forward, and stand together on behalf of children.

Because when a community finds its voice, change begins. When that voice becomes organized, it shapes policy. And when those policies take hold, they redefine what is expected and accepted. Ultimately, when protecting children becomes a shared priority, it becomes a lasting standard.

By investing in children, collectively and intentionally, we give them more than protection. We give them the strength to grow into individuals who are confident, capable, resilient and BRAVE.