The decision to build a creative technology solution on top of existing social and digital platforms, versus stand-alone, was more cost efficient for this charitable organization and the police authorities. It also capitalized off of where the Canadian public was already spending their time – online and on their mobile phone.

How it works:

Upon receiving permission from someone who wishes to donate one of their social channels, we created and retain a secure, one-way “OAuth” for that social channel in the Milk Carton 2.0 database.

When police create an amber alert, the MCSC selects which digital channels to push the alert out through (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc.)

In the case of “Valuable Network”: a web application sends the details to the database via a stored procedure, generating 'messages' for the Microsoft Message Queue to ensure delivery. On the same server, an event handler which listens to the Microsoft Message Queue (upon receiving a message) delivers it to its destination.

In the case of “Valuable CheckIn”, a 'hotspot' is created around the vicinity of where the child when missing. This is done within the Milk Carton 2.0 application by taking the GPS co-ordinates of a postal code, and calculating the distance around that area to create the hotspot.

Authorities use “Valuable Pinboard” to add more visual triggers from the case file. “Valuable Engine” is a customized Google search plug-in available for public download and used by employees at companies that are MCSC Corporate Sponsors.

At the time of this submission Valuable Network, Search Engine and Pinboard are at public release stage; Valuable CheckIn is in active beta phase. Currently the agency controls the technology stack. Milk Carton 2.0 has not received any funding support.

Milk Carton 2.0 gave the Missing Children Society a national profile and presence, generating over 23 million unique earned media impressions during the first month.

Milk Carton 2.0 helped the search & rescue efforts of the organization at no additional cost, creating an online search party that reached 70% of all Canadians.

Milk Carton 2.0 saved children’s lives, directly responsible (as verified by post-recovery interviews and police reports) for assisting in the rescue of 6 missing children in the first 5 months alone:

-Jessica Webber, Age 16. British Columbia

-Louis & Benny Hammadieh, Age 8 & 9. Alberta

-Destiny Choboter, Age 14. Manitoba

-Alvin Barnett, Age 3. British Columbia

-Katelyn Mosquito, Age 14. Alberta

-Lupemba Daska, 1 year old. Ontario

*Names Confidential - for internal judging only

Milk Carton 2.0 is built using modular design concepts. It originally rolled out with Facebook and Twitter integration (Valuable Network). We have now added in Foursquare integration (Check-In). Given there are always new social platforms emerging, the technology is created in such a way as to ease the future integration.