Miracles are signs, and like all signs, they are never about themselves; they're about whatever they are pointing toward. - Eric Metaxas
On October 29, 2004, the Safe Haven Act took effect in Massachusetts. The law “allows a parent to legally surrender newborn infants 7 days old or younger at a hospital, police station, or manned fire station without facing criminal prosecution.”
While many babies have been surrendered – and saved – since the law was introduced, public awareness about Safe Havens remains far too low. Each year we read about newborns found dead after apparent illegal abandonment.
Some Safe Haven sites post bright signs on their exteriors, alerting their communities and reminding mothers and fathers in crisis that they have a readily-available, risk-free and lifesaving option for their babies, if they cannot care for the infant themselves.
***For 24/7 support please contact 1-877-796-HOPE (4673) or 1-888-510-BABY (2229).***
Yet, 20 years after this legislation was passed, most Massachusetts Safe Haven sites are still without these critical beacons. That is about to change.
April is Safe Haven Awareness Month. Last week, during MCFL’s first Pro-Life Action Team Huddle, members resoundingly approved their first project: increasing community Safe Haven signage.
Since then, we’ve placed an initial order for 50 signs. Action Team members are contacting their local hospitals, fire stations and police departments, offering the cost-free signage and arranging delivery and installation details. We can’t wait to share photos with you from around the state. But we are even more excited to witness lives saved as a result of our Action Teams’ outreach!
The signs are our first order of business in terms of raising awareness about Safe Havens. We know there is more we can do, so in the coming months our Action Teams, in partnership with legislators like Rep. John Gaskey (R-2nd Plymouth), will work with the Department of Transportation to add a smaller variation of the Safe Haven signs to blue hospital signs along our roads.
We will also work with legislators to introduce Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which allow birth parents complete anonymity when surrendering their babies. Since they were first introduced in Indiana back in 2016, more than 150 infants have been saved after being placed in Baby Boxes across the country.
If you’d like to help, please sign up for an Action Team today. Our next Huddle is on Thursday, April 10 at 5:30 PM. Our 45-minute Zoom conversation promises to be both inspiring and productive!
Can’t join an Action Team? Consider funding one! You might just steward a miracle.
Enjoy your weekend.