Portage announces first Safe Haven Baby Box since COVID-19 outbreak

Portage, Ind.- Portage Fire Station #2 will have a Safe Haven Baby Box available for women in crisis starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 4th located at 6275 Old Porter Road in Portage.

According to a press release, this is the first Safe Haven Baby Box to go live in Indiana since the announcement of the stay-at-home order in early March.

It is the 26th Safe Haven Baby Box in the nation and the 22nd in Indiana.

The new Safe Haven Baby Box was made possible when an anonymous donor from another stated called the organization asking for any location seeking funding for the program. The anonymous donor expressed interest in covering all costs for the installation.

“The Portage Fire Department is grateful for this anonymous donation which allowed us to proceed quickly with the installation of the Safe Haven Baby Box in this community. Our goal is to save at least one child’s life,” said Portage Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Dan Kodicek.

The Safe Haven Law allows a person to surrender a healthy newborn 30 days old or younger without fear of criminal prosecution.

Nationwide, the organization has assisted 75 women and children through their program, with several of them resulting from calls to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes National 24-hour hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.

Click here for Safe Haven Baby Box locations.

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