March 26, 2024

Today, Nola is all smiles, a healthy, happy five-year-old, loved by her adoptive family. Nola is also a shining example of why Safe Haven Baby Boxes are so important.  Five years ago, she was one of the first infants surrendered anonymously by her birth mother. 

Nola is one of 24 Hoosier babies rescued via Safe Haven Baby Boxes.  Founded in 2016 by Monica Kelsey, Safe Haven is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a safe place for moms who cannot care for a child to leave the child in the care of medical professionals. 

According to Mary Beth Boone, a Madison native, child advocate and volunteer for Safe Haven, there are currently 117 baby boxes through the State of Indiana and 208 nationally.  Thanks to Indiana House Bill 1032, signed into law by Governor Eric Holcomb in 2021, mothers gained the ability to surrender an infant anonymously.  The bill also expanded location options to include volunteer fire departments and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) locations. The Madison Mission worked with Safe Haven Baby Boxes to change the law.

Boone said it takes great courage for a new mom to surrender a newborn with the hope of giving that child a better life.  She said moms often the call the Safe Haven Baby Box crisis line a dozen times for counseling and resources before making a decision.  The Safe Haven crisis line is 1-866-992-2291 (1-866-9BABY1).

As for Nola, she was recently in the area with the rest of her family.  The Higgs welcomed an opportunity to take a photo in front of the Safe Haven Baby Box at Norton King’s Daughters’ Health Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in downtown Madison, a location that helped lead to expanding the Safe Haven law in Indiana.