The Safe Haven Baby Box on East Center Street will be operational beginning Friday, Aug. 30. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

WARSAW —  Supporters of Safe Haven Baby Box, along with city and township officials, will celebrate the opening of the newest Safe Haven Baby Box on Friday morning, Aug. 30 in Warsaw.

The newest baby box will become operational Friday at the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Fire Station No. 2, 2204 E. Center St., Warsaw.

The unveiling of the box will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

The box is positioned on the west side of the fire station and will be available for use starting on Friday.

The station was chosen due to easy access and the level of anonymity it provides.  

There are 14 Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana and Ohio.

The most recent baby box was deemed operational earlier this month at Turkey Creek Fire Station No. 2 in Syracuse.

The Safe Haven Law allows people to anonymously surrender their healthy newborn without fear of criminal prosecution. 

Safe Haven Baby Box Inc. is a non-profit organization founded by firefighter/medic Monica Kelsey. Kelsey was abandoned as an infant and is committed to ensuring the safety of newborns by installing more Safe Haven Baby Boxes in communities which allows women 100% anonymity.

The Safe Haven Baby Box organization staffs a 24-hour National Crisis hotline (1-866-99BABY1) to give women the opportunity to talk to a trained licensed professional as they consider safely surrendering their newborn. 

City fire officials have been working to establish the baby box since last year.

So far in 2019, the organization reported that six babies have been surrendered in Indiana safely as a result of women calling the hotline.

One of the babies was surrendered in Kosciusko County back in January.

“We know that education and awareness around the Safe Haven Law and Safe Haven Baby Boxes save lives,” Kelsey said. “Women in crisis need more options, and more locations throughout the state of Indiana and I am determined to make this happen for them.”  

Right to Life of North Central Indiana raised money with the help of local community members and organizations to install the box at the Warsaw fire station.

“Safe Haven Baby Boxes are being installed in north-central Indiana because many individuals and organizations are willing to invest in this lifesaving option, said Dave Koontz, executive director of Right to Life of North Central Indiana. “It’s encouraging to see Warsaw be one of the first in the region to implement the Baby Box program.”