Hanover Twp Fire Department to Bless Safe Haven Baby Box This Saturday

This will be the second box in the area

HANOVER, INDIANA (MARCH 4, 2022)-The Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Department invites the community to the blessing of the 104th Safe Haven Baby Box in the Nation.

The event will occur at4190W Lagrange Rd Hanover, IN 47243 on Saturday March5 at1 PM EST. The Hanover Baby Box will be the 81stin Indiana. Safe Haven Baby Boxes was founded by Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as an infant. Prior to founding Safe Haven Baby Boxes, she served in the United States military for 8years and then her community as a firefighter/medic. Now her life’s mission is to end infant abandonment with the aid of awareness and education on Safe Haven Laws. Providing anonymous safe surrender locations through Safe Haven Baby Boxes is also key to the mission. Monica Kelsey authored “Blessed to Have Been Abandoned,” detailing her life and journey to starting Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which quickly became an Amazon best seller. Kelsey said, “Our goal is to end infant abandonment in this nation. 

We have seen how providing a Baby Box provides a safe option for surrender when mothers are in crisis and reduce sad outcomes. We are delighted that Hanover has made this a priority to provide this resource to their community. ”Chuck Justice explains, "As chaplain of Hanover Twp Vol Fire Co I would like to thank Madison Mission and the Jackson family for providing us the opportunity to make the Safe Haven Baby Box available to our community. And to our members for supporting the project, the Baby Box committee Bill Pettitt, Nelson Ehlers, Bob McKenzie, Leah Kroger ,Shane Williams, especially Nelson and Shane for installing it.

”Additional help was provided by Burris Electric donating the electrical materials and Anderson Hardware reducing the cost of the metal trim. Gratitude also goes to Finley Tapp of Saf-ti-co for donating yellow safety tape and Norton King's Daughters’ Health for providing medical supplies.

The Baby Box is a sophisticated device featuring climate control and a silent alarm system that notifies first responders of a surrendered infant. The infant will be attended to within five minutes, medically evaluated, and adopted within 30 to 45 days.

Fifteen infants have been placed in a Baby Box in the last three years. Nationwide,115surrenders have resulted from calling the National Safe Haven Baby Box hotline. Six of the 15 Baby Box surrenders took place in 2020 alone. Safe Haven Baby Boxes are currently available in Indiana ,Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and now New Mexico. For any questions Monica Kelsey will be on sight at this blessing. For more information please contact Monica atmonicakelsey@safehavenbabyboxes.com