From Canada, stamps bear the faces of missing children

Missing Kids Stamps is a grassroots movement that wants to encourage people to use stamps bearing the faces of missing children whenever they send a physical letter.

While milk cartons have traditionally provided a platform for spreading the word about missing people, we have seen a few innovative spins on the concept. While the NotFound Project has aimed to get information onto 404 web pages, now Canada-based Missing Kids Stamps is a grassroots movement that wants to encourage people to use stamps bearing the faces of missing children whenever they send a physical letter.

The brainchild of Enfant-Retour Quebec – the missing children’s network for the region – the project has created a minisite including details of young people whose whereabouts are unknown by family members and friends. Through the site, users can help spread the word by using the Canada Post’s personalized stamp creation service along with templates provided by the charity. Those who don’t send letters regularly can also create an email header through the platform.

Missing Kids Stamps utilizes an existing system – the Canada Post – to ensure that the more people are made aware of missing persons. Through the process, anyone involved in the mail system, as well as the intended recipient, is exposed to the message. Although currently a grassroots campaign requiring the action of individuals to succeed, could this be taken up officially by the Canada Post – or the postal services of other countries – as a more effective method than the milk carton advertisements?

Spotted by: Jennifer Low