6th Baby Box Surrender in 2023 Happens in Bloomington, Indiana
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA (APRIL 14, 2023)- Less than 4 months ago we blessed
and made available the Safe Haven Baby Box at Monroe Fire Protection District in
Bloomington, Indiana. And last week, it brought its first blessing.
This is the 4th Indiana baby to have been placed in a Safe Haven Baby Box this year just in Indiana. This brings the total for 2023 to 6 precious infants and a total since 2017 to 28. Safe Haven Baby Boxes has transformed safe surrender for Indiana and
beyond by allowing the legal surrender of an infant with 100% anonymously.
Women in crisis are trusting the organization that removes shame from a
complicated decision to lovingly surrender an infant. Indiana leads the nation with
141 Baby Boxes spread throughout the nation.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes is the only organization in the nation dedicated to
providing an anonymous surrender option for mothers in crisis. The organization
was founded in 2015 by Monica Kelsey who learned in adulthood she was
abandoned as an infant.
Now her life’s mission is to end infant abandonment and advocate for the Safe Haven Law. In addition to educating citizens on the Safe Haven Law, Safe Haven Baby Boxes provides free confidential counseling via their hotline 1-866-99BABY1.
Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes explained, “I am so thankful this parent chose a safe option for their child. We may never know the reason they used this baby box, but we do know how much they loved their infant.”
Kelsey is on a mission to end infant abandonment and her efforts are proving to be successful in her home state of Indiana and beyond.
Jason Allen from Monroe Fire District states “the Safe Haven Baby Box funding was
provided by the Monroe Fire Protection District Volunteers Inc. Without their generous
donation this baby box would not have been possible. We are thankful that our department can provide this safe option to people during their time of need.”
Since 2017, 28 infants have been placed in a Baby Box. Nationwide, 132 surrenders have resulted from calling the National Safe Haven Baby Box hotline.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are currently available in Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida,
Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Once an
infant is surrendered they will be quickly adopted by a family selected by the
Department of Child Services that has placed themselves on the list of foster to
adopt families.
Video: A Safe Haven Box was installed in Mitchell, Indiana last year. This makes two locations in Lawrence County where a Baby Box is located. The Bedford Fire Department at 1900 H Street in Bedford, and 105 Doc Hamilton Blvd in Mitchell are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In Lawrence County there are two Safe Haven Baby Box locations which include the Bedford Fire Department Headquarters located 1900 H Street, and Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department station located 105 Doc Hamiliton Blvd in Mitchell.
Students from Amy Redman's Mitchell High School Development class and Jeanette Martin's CTE FACS Educator who helped the students complete the project, in Mitchell Indiana.
In June 2021, the Bedford Fire Department installed the 72nd Baby box in the nation, and 63rd in the State of Indiana.
For breaking news, news and information go to lczephyr.org or like/follow the Lawrence County Facebook page.
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