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$225,000 Reward Offered For Information Leading To Caylee's Safe Return

There is a $225,000 reward for information that will help find Caylee Anthony, but where will all of that money come from?

There are a dozen billboards local businesses donated that feature messages to help find Caylee Anthony. The donated billboard and donations from an exotic car dealer of $200,000 for a reward leading to Caylee's safe return are the work of The Never Lose Hope Foundation. It registered as a corporation in Florida just a year ago.

The foundation uses a reverse 911-type technology to allow relatives of missing kids, like Caylee's grandfather, to send recorded messages to thousands of residents at once appealing for tips.

"I really wanted to help the family. And I thought maybe we can apply something we're already doing to this," explained William Rivera, President, Never Lose Hope Foundation.

Even though they also run Florida's Telemarketers' Assocation, they say they're not using their phone banks to raise charity donations at this point. The foundation's website says its IRS charitable status is still pending and its president admits he has not applied with the State Division of Consumer Services for a license to solicit funds from the public.

"Are you not walking a fine line legally calling yourself a charity, yet you really don't have the status yet?" WFTV reporter Robert Maxwell asked Rivera.

"We've secured a fiscal sponsorship through a charity group here in Orlando called CityLinks," he said.

They said they're not asking for money, but if someone does cut the group a check, CityLinks, which has its IRS charity status, will be able to process the donation.

After Eyewitness News started asking questions, the state is planning to send a letter Never Lose Hope Foundation asking what its plans are for public fundraising. Rivera hopes to have the foundation's IRS charity status confirmed within eight weeks.
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