Today we’d like to introduce you to Chrystal Baker.
Hi Chrystal, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started out majoring in Social Work at University of Memphis. My passion was working with the elderly. However, as we all know life can take us many different paths. I was a mom and that was my passion. I did not want to miss a moment of her life. After she got older, I went back and completed my social work degree at Union University and graduated Suma Cum Laude. I had my first job at an elderly care facility lined up already. That was my passion until our family had members go through elderly care. It hit even more personal than it already did, so I resigned to be the advocate for my family. In 2024 I was asked to volunteer at a golf tournament for COMEC. I knew I wanted to be a part of this loving supportive family who worked so hard on this fundraiser. A month later I was at COMEC volunteering at the office and was then hired. The ironic thing is it never crossed my mind while in school to work with children. It has truly been a blessing and I hope it continues to bless, encourage, advocate, and help others as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As the world around us changes daily, the road did seem to acquire a few twists and turns. Living in Memphis, a better term might be potholes. When the organization started, people loved fundraisers and events. This was almost 30 years ago so the world was a different place. Since then some struggles I have recently encountered are with funding and also changes after COVID. There were some donors that could not give anymore and other businesses that closed during COVID and never open again. Finding new businesses that were not already involved with a larger non-profit organization was a struggle. The economy has also started to struggle recently. Since COMEC is a smaller non-profit organization, there were other donors that could not give anymore. Volunteers were also difficult to find due to the fact most people needed their full-time jobs with pay. It did not seem there was time for “non-profit” volunteer work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Commission on Missing and Exploited Children (COMEC) is dedicated to safeguarding children since 1984. This is done through community education, advocacy, and partnerships with schools and the community around us. We are currently a Level 3 Stakeholder with Juvenile Court in Memphis and Shelby County. Our objective is being pro-active and preventative by providing resources to children and parents. All of our programs are free which sets us apart from other programs. We have a liaison in our office who works for Memphis Police Department. It is very helpful to have this because it covers the laws, etc. and many times there are questions about. these from both custodial and non -custodial parents that always affect the child. Many of the children who go missing in Memphis are runaways due to home situations. Despite the economic struggles. and COVID we still will always have hope. Some of the items we provide are fingerprint kit cards, and at home drug kit testing. We also are invited to different schools to talk about bullying etc. and teach children how to protect themselves against cyberbullying and other issues relevant today with the most recent being AI. We are proud of what COMEC has built over the years. It has evolved into not just missing children, but other ways to help children cope and learn.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was an only child and was also adopted at the age of three months. My personality was usually nice and friendly to everyone I came in contact with. I think when you are an only child there are also the lonely disadvantages at times. I was outdoors quite a bit, I would say my actual childhood was normal at the time. I loved playing with animals, babysitting and other playmates.
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.comec.org
- Facebook: Commission on Missing & Exploited Children
