The City of Foley will celebrate the opening of its Safe Haven Baby Box on March 13.
The box has been installed at Fire Station 1 and will allow mothers to surrender their newborns for up to 45 days, no questions asked. Officials are now awaiting final inspections and tests.
The Foley City Council previously approved a resolution approving a lease and service agreement with Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. The city paid over $16,000 for the box, including shipping costs. There will also be ongoing monitoring costs. Summit Church, 1-800-BOARDUP and Hunter Security, Inc. have contacted Foley to assist.
"We're just excited about offering the opportunity to turn really, really otherwise bad situations into a positive situation and save multiple lives," Fire Chief Joey Darby told 1819 News. "You know, this isn't just about babies; this is about families and mothers and you know, we thank the community for coming together and giving us the opportunity and we would thank anybody that would entrust us to save a baby's life. So, we're excited and it's been a long time coming."
A law passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2023, sponsored by State Rep. Donna Givens (R-Loxley), made Safe Haven Baby Boxes possible. The devices are installed at fire stations or hospitals with donations and City funds.
Multiple infants have already been surrendered in the boxes across Alabama. Baby boxes are in Mobile, Montgomery, Dothan, Decatur, Enterprise, Ozark, Opelika, Prattville, Tuscaloosa, Gadsden, Jasper, Tuscumbia, Athens and Madison.
Surrendered infants are promptly transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The Alabama Department of Human Resources then places the baby for adoption with the assistance of the local Department of Family Services.
Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, has brought the devices to 15 states. She said she has made it her life's mission because she was abandoned two hours after birth in 1972.
The opening ceremony will begin at 2 p.m.
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