Mollie Tibbetts’ family held a press conference in Brooklyn, Iowa, on Aug. 2, to announce an reward fund through Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa in an attempt to bring the missing University of Iowa student home.

The family set up the Bring Mollie Tibbetts Home Safe Reward Fund through Crime Stoppers’ website. The goal of the fund is to provide an incentive to anyone with information regarding Tibbetts’ disappearance. So far, the fund has raised $172,000.

“We believe Mollie is alive, and if someone has abducted her, we are pleading with you to please release her,” said Tibbetts’ mother, Laura Calderwood.

Tibbetts’ father, Rob Tibbetts, said he believes his daughter is alive and she can be brought home.

“I don’t want to speculate, but I do think she’s out there, and I think we can bring her home,” he said. “It’s our responsibility as a community to do everything we can do.”

According to its website, Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa is a nonprofit organization that provides the public in central Iowa financial incentives to anonymously assist in solving crimes.

Greg Willey, a member of Crime Stoppers, said the organization has a tab on its website labeled “Mollie Tibbetts Reward Fund” with which people can easily donate.

“Until we get further information about Mollie, we are expecting her to be alive,” Willey said. “The reward fund will continue to grow.”

Tibbett’s boyfriend, Dalton Jack, said everyone has a Mollie in their lives, and if someone is holding her, to let her go.

“Imagine this is you. Wouldn’t you want to help? Wouldn’t you want her back?” Jack said. “Just let her go.”

Rob Tibbetts said the family have put personal feelings aside, and they are focused on bring their daughter home.

“The family is holding up just fine. We are setting our personal feelings aside. This is a fight for our daughter,” he said. “We are told very little from the authorities for very good reason. They have put together an investigation that is very large and very complicated.”

He thinks the case will be solved by someone coming forward with information, he said.

“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Come forward, and share that information with the authorities, and let’s bring Mollie home,” he said. “We are providing this fund to add some incentive to someone who otherwise may be afraid to come forward.”

Calderwood said she has found her strength every day through her daughter and that she feels her presence.

“Every day I feel Mollie’s presence with me… Mollie is an incredibly strong woman,” she said. “I don’t know if I have the strength in me, but Mollie is lending me her strength every day, every night.”

Anyone having information regarding Mollie Tibbetts’ disappearance should contact the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office at [email protected] or call 1-800-452-1111 or go to crimestoppersofcentraliowa.com to donate to the reward fund or provide a tip.