Monica Kelsey: Saving Lives with 'Safe Haven Baby Boxes' - A Mission to Prevent Infant Abandonment
Monica Kelsey discusses the mission of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a program designed to prevent infant abandonment by providing safe spaces for mothers to anonymously leave their newborns. With over 200 lives saved, Kelsey highlights the need for increased awareness and education around the issue.
Summary
In this episode of the Team Never Quit podcast, host Marcus Luttrell interviews Monica Kelsey, the founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the number of abandoned infants in the U.S. Kelsey shares her personal journey, beginning with her own experience as an adopted child who eventually learned about her birth mother. Motivated by her story and the heartbreaking reality of abandoned babies, Kelsey launched the Safe Haven Baby Box initiative. Each box serves as a designated location where mothers can safely leave their newborns, immediately calling for emergency services without needing to interact face-to-face, thus minimizing stigma and shame.
Kelsey reveals that Texas ranks as one of the highest states for infant abandonment and explains the legal framework and community fundraising that enables the installation of these boxes across various locations. Each box costs around $15,000 to implement, including necessary equipment and legal processes. Kelsey emphasizes the importance of education, not just for potential mothers but also for first responders, to ensure awareness of how and when to utilize these resources. The conversation culminates in a call for more advocacy and support, urging communities to take action to help prevent infant abandonment.
About this episode
<div> <p><strong>A Lifeline for Babies in Crisis – Featuring Monica Kelsey<br /><br /></strong>This episode is a rebroadcast of an earlier release. Be sure to listen to Melanie Luttrell’s powerful new update at the beginning.<br />In this powerful episode, Marcus and Melanie sit down with Monica Kelsey, founder and Executive Director of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing infant abandonment by providing mothers in crisis a safe, legal, and anonymous option to surrender their newborns.<br />Monica’s journey is deeply personal. Born after her teenage mother was raped and hidden away during pregnancy, Monica was abandoned at birth. Her life story has fueled her passion to advocate for infants like herself and to create compassionate solutions for birth mothers who face unthinkable challenges. Through Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Monica is on a mission to ensure that no child is abandoned unsafely, and no mother is left without options.<br />We also explore Monica's role as a firefighter and paramedic, where she has firsthand experience with the life-saving impact of Safe Haven laws. Her dedication to working with first responders has been crucial in creating awareness and ensuring these boxes are accessible nationwide.<br />Tune in as Monica shares her inspiring story, the incredible work her organization is doing, and how Safe Haven Baby Boxes are making a difference—one life at a time.</p><p><strong>In This Episode You Will Hear:<br /></strong>• I grew up adopted, but I never knew the back story. (6:43 )<br />• I joined [the U.S. Navy] and got my love for firefighting there. (7:47)<br />• I never longed for love. (8:42)<br />• I just called [my biological mother] and she says “I’ve been waiting for your call.” (11:37)<br />• I always wanted that connection of “Hey, she does that, and I do that.” (12:38)<br />• The question comes up: “Who’s my biological father?” And she just got up and walked out. (12:41)<br />• If abortion was available in 1972, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today. (14:37)<br />• I had to come to grips with the fact that I was whisked into this world by violence, and then thrown away like trash. (16:10)<br />• I had to go back to my faith because I had stumbled away from it.(16:17)<br />• The more I started reading scripture, the more it started pointing to my life. (16:31)<br />• Controversy is horrible around the baby boxes. (20:47)<br />• We launched the very first baby box in April; 30 days later our son was in a deadly accident. (23:54)<br />• [Melanie] The thought of putting a baby in a box is crazy; but the box of putting a baby in a dumpster is crazier. (28:57)<br />• At the end of the day, education is gonna be the key. (37:14)<br />• [Melanie] Q: What’s the worst state of baby abandonment? A: Texas.(37:45)<br />• The foster care system is a mess. (41:07)<br />• You pull a dead infant from a dumpster, you’re going to start looking for a solution.(46:27)</p><p><strong>Support Monica:<br />- </strong> IG: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/american_mercenary/">https://www.instagram.com/safehavenbabyboxes/</a><br /> - <a href="https://www.shbb.org/"><strong><a href="https://www.shbb.org/">https://www.shbb.org/</a></strong></a><strong> </strong><br /><em> -</em><a href="http://spartanforge.ai/">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5PQX9JG5U3gSwcIAciYCPQ</a><br /> - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@safehavenbabyboxes?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">https://www.tiktok.com/@safehavenbabyboxes?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc</a></p><p><strong>Support TNQ<br /> </strong><em>-</em> IG:<em> </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/"><em>team_neverquit</em></a><em> , </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/"><em>marcusluttrell</em></a><em> , </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/melanieluttrell/"><em>melanieluttrell</em></a><em> , </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/huntero13/"><em>huntero13</em></a><em><br /> - </em><a href="https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit"><em><a href="https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit">https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit</a></em></a><em><br /></em><br /><strong>Sponsors:<br /> - </strong><a href="http://navyfederal.org/"><em><a href="http://Navyfederal.org">Navyfederal.org</a></em></a><em> <br /></em><strong>- </strong><a href="http://dripdrop.com/TNQ"><strong><a href="http://Dripdrop.com/TNQ">Dripdrop.com/TNQ</a></strong></a><strong><br /></strong><em><br /> - </em><a href="http://mengotomars.com/"><em><a href="http://mengotomars.com">mengotomars.com</a></em></a><em> [Team Never Quit]<br /> - </em><a href="http://bubsnaturals.com/"><em><a href="http://bubsnaturals.com">bubsnaturals.com</a></em></a><em> [Promo code TNQ]<br /> - </em><a href="http://davidprotein.com/TNQ"><em><a href="http://davidprotein.com/TNQ">davidprotein.com/TNQ</a></em></a><strong><br /> - </strong><a href="http://mizzenandmain.com/"><strong><a href="http://mizzenandmain.com">mizzenandmain.com</a></strong></a><strong> [Promo code: TNQ20]<br /> - </strong><a href="http://masterclass.com/TNQ"><strong><a href="http://masterclass.com/TNQ">masterclass.com/TNQ</a></strong></a><strong><br /><br /> - </strong><a href="http://shopmando.com/"><strong><a href="http://ShopMando.com">ShopMando.com</a></strong></a><strong> [Promo code: TNQ]<br /> - </strong><a href="http://tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes"><strong><a href="http://Tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes">Tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes</a></strong></a><strong><br /> - </strong><a href="http://meetfabiric.com/TNQ"><strong><a href="http://meetfabiric.com/TNQ">meetfabiric.com/TNQ</a></strong></a><strong><br /> - Prizepicks (TNQ)<br /><br /> - </strong><a href="http://armslist.com/TNQ"><strong><a href="http://armslist.com/TNQ">armslist.com/TNQ</a></strong></a><strong><br /></strong><br /> - <em> </em><a href="http://pxgapparel.com/TNQ"><em><a href="http://PXGapparel.com/TNQ">PXGapparel.com/TNQ</a></em></a><br /> - <a href="http://bruntworkwear.com/TNQ">bruntworkwear.com/TNQ</a><strong><br /><br /> - </strong><a href="http://shipsticks.com/TNQ"><strong><a href="http://shipsticks.com/TNQ">shipsticks.com/TNQ</a></strong></a><em><br /><br /> - </em><a href="http://stopboxusa.com/"><em><a href="http://stopboxusa.com">stopboxusa.com</a></em></a><em> {TNQ}<br /><br /> - </em><a href="http://tonal.com/"><em><a href="http://Tonal.com">Tonal.com</a></em></a><em> [TNQ]<br /> - </em><a href="http://greenlight.com/TNQ"><em><a href="http://greenlight.com/TNQ">greenlight.com/TNQ</a></em></a><em><br /><br /> - </em><a href="http://drinkag1.com/TNQ"><em><a href="http://drinkAG1.com/TNQ">drinkAG1.com/TNQ</a></em></a><em><br /><br /> - </em><a href="http://hims.com/TNQ"><em><a href="http://Hims.com/TNQ">Hims.com/TNQ</a></em></a><em><br /><br /></em><br /></p></div>
Key Insights
- Monica Kelsey was adopted and was driven to create Safe Haven Baby Boxes after discovering her own birth story.
- Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide a discreet and safe option for mothers to leave their newborns, significantly reducing the likelihood of abandonment in unsafe locations.
- In 2022, Texas reported 33 abandoned infants, making it one of the highest states for such occurrences.
- Each Safe Haven Baby Box costs around $15,000, which includes construction, legal fees, and signage.
- Kelsey asserts that the Safe Haven initiative is crucial because women may feel too ashamed to approach a fire station with their infant, despite available options.
- The program's structure ensures that babies are secured and checked by firefighters within minutes of being placed in the boxes.
- Kelsey reveals that community fundraising plays a pivotal role in funding the installation of new baby boxes.
- Approximately 203 babies have been saved through the Safe Haven Baby Box program since its initiation.
- One of the unique aspects of the program is that it provides counseling resources for mothers, helping them cope with their decisions.
- Kelsey highlights the importance of educating first responders about the program to promote better community awareness and acceptance.
- The initiative emphasizes that addressing the root causes of abandonment, rather than stigmatizing mothers, is key to reducing these incidents.
- Kelsey calls for increased advocacy, urging communities to actively discuss options for preventing infant abandonment.
Topics
Transcript
The Team Never Good podcast is proudly brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. Navy Federal's new Home Buyer's Choice Loan has down payment options as low as 0% with no required private mortgage insurance. Make sure to go check it out at NavyFederal.org. Some of you might have already heard this episode. This came out two years ago when we met Monica from Safe Haven Baby Box for the first time. We are re-releasing this episode today because we have a huge celebration. We want you to hear how you can get involved with saving a life. So after we filmed this episode two years ago with Monica, I got really inspired and motivated to bring Safe Haven…
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