(TIS) Thanks to the efforts of Abby Wiese, Des Moines now has a Safe Haven Baby Box at the MercyOne Medical Center.Abby raised the money needed to bring this box to the Metro area. It’s the second box in the state of Iowa. Fort Dodge also has a location. Pulse Life Advocates Executive Director Maggie DeWItte was part of a team that helped extend Iowa to a ninety day period for the safe haven window.
[Click here to subscribe to Pregnancy Help News!]
The Safe Haven Baby Box website provides this overview of what they are:
“Safe Haven Baby Boxes offer a compassionate and secure option for mothers in crisis who are unable to care for their newborns. Designed with innovative safety features and installed on the exterior walls of fire stations and hospitals, each box ensures the safe and anonymous surrender of infants. The exterior door locks automatically when a newborn is placed inside, and an interior door allows medical personnel to promptly and securely retrieve the baby, ensuring immediate care and protection. Safe Haven Baby Boxes are a vital resource, providing a lifeline for mothers and a safe beginning for their newborns.”
Maggie interviewed Abby to learn how this project came to fruition:
PULSE: Tell me a little about yourself and how you became so passionately pro-life.
ABBY: I grew up in Indianola and went to Iowa State. I now live in Waukee with my husband and daughter, and work at Wells Fargo. I grew up in a strong Christian family that went to church every Sunday and were very involved in the church. I went on mission trips as a high schoolers to California, Mexico, & New York. I think that’s where my volunteer heart started beating. I’ve always had a strong foundation of right vs wrong when it comes to abortion. However, I’ve become more passionate about it as I’ve learned more of the actual facts behind it. Whether it’s the science of conception or the very real and painful details of an abortion procedure. My religion is always there, but abortion also being morally wrong is what drove me to learn more and start speaking up.
PULSE: How did you get the idea to have a baby box here in Des Moines?
ABBY: Instagram actually! There was a suggested video of Monica, the founder, video chatting someone to tell them a baby was safely surrendered in their box. I thought that was really cool for women in crisis, who are looking for a loving and safe alternative, to have an easy and anonymous option. So out of curiosity, I googled where our box was located. That’s when I discovered we didn’t have one! However, I saw that one was soon going to be installed in Fort Dodge, IA (which took place Oct. 2023). I went back to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes website and found where you could request an information packet if you were interested in bringing one to your community. After I read through the information, I attended one of Safe Haven Baby Boxes FAQ virtual sessions, asked my questions, and got started on finding a location.
PULSE: What were your first steps in getting this rolling for Des Moines?
ABBY: Finding a location. I made a Facebook post asking if anyone had contacts at a hospital in Des Moines. I had a number of personal referrals that same day, the support and interest was amazing. It was a full circle moment for me because a woman from my Indianola church reached out and got me connected with MercyOne.
PULSE: How much does a baby box cost to put up?
ABBY: Safe Haven Baby Boxes estimates around $13k for the box, program fee, delivery, etc. Then construction typically costs around $5-7k, so my goal was to raise $20k. Unfortunately, due to us wanting the best and more discrete location at MercyOne, it required additional construction efforts and more money than expected. But $20k is the estimate. There’s also a $300 annual maintenance fee for the box, which I was able to find a generous donor to cover that.
Tweet This: A young woman raised the necessary funds for Iowa to have its second Safe Haven Baby Box, located at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines.
PULSE: What are the requirements for a baby box to be installed?
ABBY: 24/7 monitoring is the biggest and main requirement, so hospitals or fire stations are the best options.
PULSE: Where can people get more information about this process and how to bring a baby box to their community?
ABBY: Go to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes website and click on “Get a Box” which will provide you with guidance and information on how to get started. When you do this, you will also get connected with a Safe Haven Baby Boxes employee who you can communicate with along the way, as needed.
Editor's note: This article was published by The Iowa Standard and is reprinted with permission. PHN's Managing Editor at the article's publish date performs occational contract communications work for the author.
