Two-minute impact
Founded in 2016 by Monica Kelsey, who was surrendered as a baby, Safe Haven Baby Boxes aim to provide accessibility to safe and legal options for women facing similar situations.
"My goal for Texas is not to have as many babies in these boxes as we can get; my goal for Texas is to never find an abandoned baby in this state ever again," Kelsey said during the unveiling ceremony on April 28. "I will forever walk with these moms as they choose something safe for their child, and I'll forever walk with these kids and show them their worth."
The idea to bring the baby box to The Woodlands area was proposed in 2024 by board member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, and it was installed in Fire Station No. 6 at 1100 Windsor Lakes Blvd., The Woodlands.
"A year ago, there was an epidemic of abandonments in our region. Two of those babies out of six did not survive. That lit a fire under me to look for a choice for life for these mothers who were in crisis," Sekula-Gibbs said. "If we had the Safe Haven Baby Box here at Fire Station No. 6 in The Woodlands, they would have had a choice. They would have had a beautiful choice to safely, legally and anonymously surrender their child into the hands of a loving adoptive family, and we are giving them that choice here in The Woodlands."
How it works
Kelsey and township Fire Chief Palmer Buck said when the box is opened from the outside a sensor will trigger a silent alarm to first responders, who will respond to the box within two minutes. The box is climate-controlled and ventilated to ensure protection from heat and cold, Palmer said.
The box is made possible under the Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to turn over babies 60 days old or younger to a hospital, fire or EMS station with no repercussions. The law was updated by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2023 to include Safe Haven boxes. Kelsey said there are six baby boxes across the state, with the nearest one to the Houston area previously being in Palestine, Texas.
"This initiative reflects the compassion and care that define our community and strengthens our commitment to protecting those in crisis," board member Craig Eissler said. "I'm proud of what this says about our community. It speaks to our values, how we come together to support each other, especially in moments of need."
