The Gabby Petito Foundation™ and Looped Solutions™ announce the “Million to One” fundraiser — a nationwide campaign calling one million people to donate one dollar each to help launch HERO QR™. With the formation of Committee for Victim Technology Reform (CVTR) and with the help of donations, HERO QR will critically serve as clandestine victim-referral and evidence-capture system designed to give first responders a safe, standardized way to discreetly connect victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking to qualified help and resources.
When Gabby’s story reached the world, it awakened a movement. It reminded her parents that every victim deserves safe help the moment they need it, no matter where they are or who may be watching. As they traveled the country sharing that message, they witnessed a heartbreaking truth: there are no consistent tools to protect survivors from digital surveillance, cloned devices, hidden tracking, or even to safely reach out for help. Meanwhile, abusers are adopting advanced technology faster than the systems meant to protect victims.
This national gap, paired with the alarming statistic of 20 people per minute in the U.S. experiencing physical intimate partner violence, led Gabby’s parents to establish the CVTR, which will seek partnerships with organizations and experts committed to creating the modern safety tools survivors desperately deserve. The program will transform first-contact response, it will ensure victims can safely seek help even under surveillance, and it will generate the resources needed to deploy HERO QR into communities across the country.
“The fact that abusers have more advanced tools than the people trying to escape them is unacceptable. We’re committed to changing that because survivors can’t wait, and neither can we,” said Joe Petito, Gabby’s father and vice president of the Gabby Petito Foundation.
Through initiatives like HERO QR, a discreet referral system currently being developed in partnership with Looped Solutions, CVTR aims to build a national safety ecosystem where survivors can seek help without fear and where every first responder has the tools they need to protect them.
In 2021, Gabby was stopped by police following a 911 call reporting an altercation. A further investigation revealed missed opportunities for intervention, igniting a national demand for better tools and stronger training, ensuring first contact is never again a missed chance for safety.
HERO QR will enter as the next step in carrying Gabby’s legacy forward and will equip police, EMS, fire, and healthcare professionals with a safe, invisible way to connect victims to trusted help instantly — even if their device is being monitored by an abuser. With a simple scan, victims will be guided through a secure, untraceable doorway to resources, support, and a connection to an advocate.
“We cannot allow technology to keep working against victims. HERO QR is our commitment to ensuring that first responders have the tools every survivor deserves access to,” said Nichole Schmidt, Gabby’s mother and president of the Gabby Petito Foundation.
Today the “Million to One” campaign launches to honor the power of collective action — transforming one silenced voice into a million voices for change. The campaign is optimistic in raising $1,000,000 which will fund the development of HERO QR, support training and onboarding for pilot first-responder agencies, build the infrastructure needed to deploy HERO QR into communities, and ensure no call for help goes unanswered.
“Our work with CVTR and HERO QR represent a critical step toward giving survivors the protection they deserve. Technology should never tip the scales in favor of abuse, and we’re committed to helping shift that balance,” said Kara Wasser, founder and CEO of Looped Solutions.
Donors can join the “Million to One’ movement at givebutter.com/gabbysmillion, where one dollar can easily become a million voices that can protect those, like Gabby, who cannot speak for themselves.
For safety professionals looking for more information and education on HERO QR, please visit www.loopedsolutions.com/heroqr.
For anyone experiencing domestic violence or knows of someone who needs help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, text “START” 88788 and/or chat live at thehotline.org. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support.
About Looped Solutions
Looped Solutions is a Western Pennsylvania technology company that builds secure, privacy-centered digital communication tools for healthcare, community agencies, and vulnerable populations. The company’s platforms create safe, seamless pathways for connection during critical moments — whether in medical settings, social services, or crisis response. By combining secure technology with human-centered design, Looped Solutions helps organizations improve communication, strengthen support networks, and reach the people who need them most. For more information, visit www.loopedsolutions.com.
About The Gabby Petito Foundation
The Gabby Petito Foundation is committed to driving meaningful change in the fight against domestic violence and missing persons. Inspired by Gabby’s legacy, the Foundation’s mission is to take action on the front lines — partnering with organizations and equipping communities and first responders with the tools, training, and support needed to prevent and respond collectively to violence and to protect those at risk. Together, they aim to build a future where every voice is heard and every life is valued. For more information, visit gabbypetitofoundation.org.
About the Committee for Victim Technology Reform (CVTR)
The Committee for Victim Technology Reform was created by the Gabby Petito Foundation to confront a growing national crisis: victims are being harmed with modern technology, yet the systems designed to protect them have not kept pace. CVTR brings together a multidisciplinary network of domestic violence experts, technologists, first responders, policy leaders, and survivor-advocates to develop the standards, tools, and protections needed in today’s digital landscape. For more information, visit victimtechreform.org.
Media Contact
Nichole Schmidt
President, Gabby Petito Foundation
nichole_schmidt@gabbypetitofoundation.org
Lisa DiMuccio-Zgela
Chief Marketing Officer, Looped Solutions
lzgela@loopedsolutions.com
