The Launch of Project Milk Carton's Media Arm
Turning Awareness Into Action
Every day in America, about 2,300 children are reported missing. Many are found within hours—but around 90 percent are runaways or “throwaways,” kids fleeing neglect, abuse, or broken systems that should have protected them. Despite decades of reports, technology, and public promises, no one has truly fixed this, and the crisis keeps repeating.
Project Milk Carton was born from the belief that technology, transparency, and ordinary citizens can close that gap.
We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building tools that connect families, advocates, and data in real time — exposing the systems that fail our kids and empowering the people who protect them.
Now we’re taking that mission public.
Our new Substack is the community heartbeat of this work:
The Constitutional Republic
The Constitutional Republic exists to teach people how the system really works — because if we can’t understand law, policy, and government, we can’t protect our kids or our communities. We break down complicated civic processes into plain, direct language so every citizen can see where power hides, how decisions are made, and what it takes to fight for what’s right.
Jeremiah Bullfrog’s Pad
Jeremiah Bullfrog’s Pad is where corruption meets accountability. Each episode breaks down how power, policy, and negligence collide to put children at risk — and what it takes to fight back. Hosted by Project Milk Carton’s CEO, Jeremiah Bullfrog, the show pulls no punches in exposing failures, connecting dots, and keeping child safety at the center of America’s conscience.
Paula C. Blades’ Desk
Paula C. Blades’ Desk shares grounded, firsthand insights from decades in childcare and parent advocacy. Each piece draws on real experience running a family daycare and guiding parents through the challenges of protecting and raising children in today’s world.
Cliff’s Corner
Cliff’s Corner is the digital front line for parents and families. Cliff breaks down cyber-safety, grooming prevention, and the hidden risks inside phones, apps, and games — all in plain English. He’s the guy who translates hacker-speak into family defense tactics, keeping kids safe while helping adults understand the digital world they live in.
Uncle Manny’s “The Watchman Files”
Uncle Manny’s “The Watchman Files” keeps its sights on the schemes, corruption, and political games that put children in harm’s way. A veteran watchdog with zero tolerance for deception, Manny connects the dots between power, policy, and the people left behind.
Project Milk Carton
Project Milk Carton investigates and exposes the failures within America’s child welfare and foster care systems. We track how policies, funding, and private interests intersect — state by state — to show where children fall through the cracks and how communities can step up to protect them.
Everything you read here is free.
Every subscription, however, fuels the next investigation, the next outreach kit, the next data set that keeps a child visible.
Your support isn’t a purchase — it’s a tax-deductible donation that funds real, on-the-ground change.
We don’t sell access; we build accountability.
Donate or subscribe today — because awareness only matters when it leads to action.
EIN 33-1323547 · Project Milk Carton Inc. · Public Charity 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Together, we can make “missing” mean found.
Join the Mission: Writers, Researchers, and Parent-Advocates Wanted
We’re building a collective—more writers, more investigators, more parents who refuse to look away. To start, contributors serve as volunteers; as funding grows, the Board will approve fixed, reasonable compensation for mission-aligned work (no paywalls, no pay-per-click games—just program service).
What We’re Looking For
Writers & Editors — Covering child safety, government transparency, policy breakdowns, foster care, family court, school safety, digital safety, and OSINT case studies that expose how systems really work.
Practitioners — Parent advocates, educators, social workers, investigators, technologists, and auditors who can translate real-world experience into actionable insights.
Data & OSINT Specialists — FOIA hunters, 990/USAspending diggers, mappers, coders, and data wranglers who love documentation and receipts.
Whistleblowers & Insiders — We welcome credible information from professionals inside the system who want to expose misconduct, misuse of funds, or systemic harm to children. Submissions may be published anonymously with Board approval and verification. All communications must comply with applicable laws and protections for confidential information.
Our Baseline Standards (Non-Negotiable)
Background Check: Every contributor undergoes a background check. We protect children first.
Identity & Vetting: You will verify your real identity with the editorial team. Pseudonyms require board approval and a compelling safety rationale.
Nonpartisan Educational Mission: Analyze policies; never endorse candidates or parties.
No Conflicts, No Grifts: Disclose conflicts of interest in writing. Funding and affiliates must be declared.
Corrections Policy: If we miss, we fix—fast, visible, dated.
Child & Survivor Safety: Redact identifying info, avoid doxxing, and follow trauma-informed guidelines. Never publish details that endanger a child.
What Counts as a Fact (and How to Prove It)
Primary Evidence: Statutes, regulations, court orders, contracts, RFPs, audits, 990s/990-PFs, OIG/GAO reports, official budgets, agency dashboards, SEC/EDGAR, FPDS/USAspending, SAM.gov, Grants.gov.
Secondary Evidence: Major outlets with editorial standards; cite exact article, date, and passage.
Direct Testimony: First-person interviews with documented consent; preserve notes, recordings (where legal), and timestamps.
Data Receipts: Include source files or links in a References block; keep hashes or timestamps when possible.
Replicability: Another researcher should be able to retrace your steps from your notes and links.
Sourcing & Citations (House Style)
Foot the claim. Every material claim has a source. Link the exact page/line when possible.
Screenshots ≠ Source. Always include the original URL/document ID.
Dates Matter. Note the access date for web sources and the publication date for reports.
Numbers Need Context. Report denominators, time windows, and definitions (e.g., “UAC” as defined by DHS).
No Mystery Charts. Every chart lists data source, date range, method, and caveats.
Journalistic Ethics We Enforce
Truth & Verification: We publish what we can prove; speculation is labeled as analysis.
Right of Reply (when appropriate): For specific allegations, offer subjects a fair chance to respond with a clear timeline.
Minimize Harm: Especially for minors and vulnerable families; remove identifying details unless essential and lawful.
Independence: No paid placements, no affiliate stealth, no political coordination.
Transparency: Disclose who you are, how you know, and where the money comes from.
OSINT & Data Handling Rules
Legal Only. No intrusion, no circumvention, no scraping that violates terms or law.
Chain of Custody: Keep originals, note where/when/how obtained.
Redaction: Strip PII when not essential; blur faces and unique identifiers of minors.
Audit Trail: Maintain notes, query strings, and export logs. If we can’t reproduce it, we can’t run it.
Editorial Workflow
Pitch → Greenlight: One paragraph + sources you’ll use.
Draft → Fact Check: You include a References section with links/files.
Legal/Ethics Review (when needed): Safety/privacy sweep.
Publish with Receipts: Post includes references, caveats, and contact for corrections.
Post-Publication: Corrections or updates are timestamped and appended.
Volunteer Phase → Paid Phase (How We’ll Handle Compensation)
Now: All contributors are volunteers; no pay is promised.
Later: As donations and grants grow, the Board approves fixed, reasonable rates for mission work (per-article, hourly research, or modest stipends). No pay-per-view, no revenue splits.
Conflicts: Any paid contributor who’s a board member recuses from votes on their compensation; disinterested directors approve and minutes record it.
How to Apply (Quick)
Email: ceo@projectmilkcarton.org
Subject: “Contributor Application – [Your Name] – [Focus Area]”
Include:
2–3 sentence bio + real name (required; pseudonym requests explained).
2–3 sample links (or attach PDFs) showing your work.
One short pitch (150–300 words) with sources you’ll use.
A statement that you agree to the background check and these standards.
What You’ll Get
A platform built for impact, not clout.
Editorial support, data tools, and an audience that cares about outcomes.
The knowledge that your work helps keep children visible—and safer.
Let’s build the record that can’t be ignored. Donate, subscribe, or step into the arena and write, educate and expose with us.
Looks like a formidable undertaking. Looking forward to it.