BEDFORD –The 72nd Safe Haven Baby Box in the nation is going live at the Bedford City Fire Department Headquarters located at 1900 H Street.
The baby box will be made available to the public starting on Friday, June 4, after the community unveiling at 3:30 p.m.
This is the 63rd Safe Haven Baby Box in Indiana.
Click here for Safe Haven Baby Box locations.
Safe Haven Baby Box Inc. is a non-profit founded by firefighter/medic Monica Kelsey. Kelsey was abandoned as an infant and is committed to installing more Safe Haven Baby Boxes to lower infant abandonment.
The organization offers a Safe Haven National Crisis Hotline 1-866-99BABY1 and is available 24 hours, 7 days a week and promotes education of Safe Haven laws as part of their mission to raise awareness in communities across America.
“Safe Haven Baby Boxes works hard to ensure that every parent knows that this last resort option is available to them. We will not stop until every parent knows all their options including a Safe Haven surrender. We are proud to partner with the City of Bedford, which has also joined 71 other baby box locations. There is no doubt that the City of Bedford is taking a proactive approach to infant abandonment in our country.” stated Monica Kelsey.
The Safe Haven Baby Box itself is a large part of this mission. This box allows a mother to surrender her newborn infant, of 30 days or less, with 100 percent anonymity. The Baby Box has many security features, such as heating and cooling components and a sophisticated alarm system.
A gentle light illuminates the hospital-grade bassinet covered in blankets made by hand by our loving supporters. The infant is placed inside the box for less than 4 minutes, all while the first responders rush to respond to the silent alarm to retrieve the precious newborn. There is also a care bag that provides resources to the mother for medical assistance and other useful information.
The City of Bedford would like to thank Duke Energy for fully funding the Baby Box Project for their community.
Bedford would also like to thank Pritchett Brothers Inc. for the installation of the Baby Box.
“Bringing this baby box to the community is an opportunity for the City of Bedford to offer additional resources to women in need. This baby box ensures a safe alternative to women in crisis and a safe haven for babies who might otherwise have been abandoned,” says Mayor Sam Craig.
“Although this is a resource we hope to not see used often, we are happy that it is here for those who may feel it is their only option. We also hope women in need are aware of the Safe Haven Baby Box Crisis Hotline, available 24 hours a day, at 1866-99BABY1.”
