Sophie’s Story
I am a 1st grade teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with a large family; I have 6 older brothers and lots of nieces and nephews. Almost 9 years ago, my 15 year old niece Sophie went out for a walk and never came back. She is a loved daughter, granddaughter, niece and friend.
After Sophie disappeared, we learned she had been speaking to strangers online, and it is feared she became a victim of human trafficking. The night she went missing, Sophie left $300 in her room.
My brother Patrick, Sophie’s father, put that money in a box and gave it to me. He said, “If you ever start a nonprofit, use this money to start it.”
That was the moment I created Sophie’s Light Foundation.
Sophie’s Light Foundation is developing an online safety curriculum for schools because digital safety is just as important as math and science.
Join us in making online safety part of every child’s education.
The Problem
1 in 5 children under 18 has been sexually solicited online, and the number is growing.
Kids are growing up online and being groomed by strangers. Unmonitored gaming platforms with chat rooms are playgrounds for predators. Children can be exposed to sexual content and aggressive behavior long before they are ready to hear it. They are being targeted without even realizing it.
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How We Help
Helping children recognize risks and respond with confidence.
Education
In-school curriculum
Awareness
Learning the signs of grooming
Support
Encouraging open conversations
Our Mission
Online safety in schools should not be optional.
Other organizations offer access to optional online safety programs. We want to make an impact where kids are already learning; in their schools. By embedding online safety curriculum into their school day, every child will learn how to safely navigate online. We will partner with the schools first, train kids to spot the signs, and bring the parents in to help.
We will educate and empower kids so they can protect themselves and prevent other families from experiencing the same loss.
Our Vision
We will bring online safety into the classroom, making it as important as reading and math.
Our vision is to help 100,000 kids be safe navigating online by 2029. They will be able to recognize grooming language, confidently speak up to a parent or teacher for support, and feel safe sharing their digital world with trusted adults.
From the Blog
In The News
- Teen Left Behind $300 on Night She Disappeared. 9 Years Later, Family Uses It to Help Other Kids ‘Before It’s Too Late’
Florida authorities have taken an unusual step in their efforts to find a girl who vanished nine years ago, while… Read more: Teen Left Behind $300 on Night She Disappeared. 9 Years Later, Family Uses It to Help Other Kids ‘Before It’s Too Late’ - Nearly 10 years after a Florida teen vanished in the middle of the night, detectives turn to psychics for help
Patrick Reeder’s 15-year-old daughter, Sophie, has been missing for just over nine years. Since then, the case has gone cold… Read more: Nearly 10 years after a Florida teen vanished in the middle of the night, detectives turn to psychics for help - Fort Lauderdale police call in psychic to help find girl in infamous cold case
Fort Lauderdale police have hired a psychic to help crack one of their most widely known cold cases — the… Read more: Fort Lauderdale police call in psychic to help find girl in infamous cold case