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100 Women Who Care Elkhart County Helps Establish Goshen’s First Safe Haven Baby Box

March 7, 2025

GOSHEN, INDIANA – Indiana’s 145th Baby Box was dedicated and blessed Friday morning in Goshen.

Approximately 75 people, many of them first responders, attended the event at the Goshen Fire Department’s Central Station, 209 N. Third Street, Goshen. There, a climate-controlled box is available for parents who are unable to care for their infant to anonymously surrender.

The generosity of 100 Women Who Care Elkhart County has played a vital role in establishing Goshen’s first Safe Haven Baby Box. With a $10,000 grant from the giving circle, this initiative became a reality through a collaborative effort that included the City of Goshen, the Goshen Fire Department, and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County.

Joanna King started a fund with the Community Foundation to help cover additional costs, and Goshen Mayor Gina Leichty said at the dedication ceremony that the project has been 100 percent funded without using taxpayer dollars.

The Safe Haven Baby Box, located at the Goshen Fire Department, 209 N. Third Street, Goshen, provides a secure and anonymous way for parents in crisis to safely surrender their newborns. This installation marks the 145th Baby Box in Indiana and the 321st nationwide, resulting in 33 box surrenders from parents who are unable to care for their infants.

A blessing and dedication ceremony took place at 10 a.m. Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Goshen Fire Department.

“Today, as we dedicate the Safe Haven Baby Box, we recognize that saving a life is just the beginning. True care for children involves nurturing families, ensuring access to healthcare, quality education, and creating a supportive community. Together, we can ensure every child not only survives but thrives in Goshen,” said Mayor Leichty.

Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, added, “Safe Haven Baby Boxes have changed the landscape for infant safety in Indiana, preventing tragedies and offering safe alternatives. This box is now available for women in this community and beyond. This box offers no shame, no blame and no names.”

State Rep. Joanna King credited Kelsey with helping shape Safe Haven legislation in Indiana. “The legislation that we’ve drafted here in the state of Indiana is now the model legislation that is used throughout the United States when safe haven laws are being looked at,” King said.

The Rev. Gene Troyer, pastor at Restōr Church in Goshen, said, “I believe that we are on the right track when we make room for those who are less capable of handling life and for those that they bring into the world that are so vulnerable.” The Rev. Troyer prayed a blessing on the box prior to a ribbon cutting at central station. So far, 33 babies in Indiana have been adopted after being surrendered in a Safe Haven box.

For more information on Safe Haven Baby Boxes, visit: Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

(Photos courtesy of the City of Goshen.)

About Community Foundation of Elkhart County
The Community Foundation of Elkhart County partners with donors to leverage their philanthropy in ways that transform lives. Since 1989, the Community Foundation has helped generous donors to meet community needs, provide scholarship opportunities to local students, and make grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve Elkhart County. The Community Foundation strives to be a local entity known for inspiring good and impacting success. To learn more, go to www.InspiringGood.org.