Beyond the Box

Monica Kelsey
  • 4.9 (15)
  • NON-PROFIT

Beyond the Box with Monica Kelsey is a powerful podcast dedicated to raising awareness, educating the public, and advocating for change in the fight against infant abandonment. Hosted by Monica Kelsey, Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, this podcast dives deep into real stories, expert insights, and the life-saving impact of Safe Haven laws and baby box programs across the country. Each episode features compelling conversations with firefighters, legal experts, healthcare professionals, policymakers, adoptive families, and even mothers who have used Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Together, they shed light on the challenges, victories, and ongoing efforts to provide safe, legal, and anonymous surrender options for parents in crisis. From heartwarming rescue stories to policy discussions shaping the future, Beyond the Box is a must-listen for anyone passionate about saving lives and supporting vulnerable infants.

  1. 2D AGO

    Grace Found: A Baby Box Adoption Story

    A newborn placed in a Safe Haven Baby Box. Two parents on the verge of giving up. One life-changing phone call that turned a headline into a home. We sit down with Jennifer and Mario—adoptive parents of Gracie, the third baby ever surrendered in a baby box—to trace a path from infertility and heartbreak to a living room full of laughter, crayons, and Ozzy Osbourne sing-alongs. They walk us through the near-misses in foster care, the moment they read about a nearby surrender just five miles from home, and the whirlwind that followed: interviews, a car seat on the sidewalk, and Mario standing in stunned silence, staring at his daughter for hours. We also get real about what happened next—an unexpected media spotlight, online backlash, and the firm boundaries they set to keep the focus on awareness, not voyeurism. Through it all, Jennifer shares a tender, unwavering message for Gracie’s birth mom: love then, love now, love always. Along the way, we talk about the hard and holy parts of adoption—telling the truth from the start, helping a child navigate identity and race, answering big questions about life and death, and letting love multiply instead of divide. We also preview Haven Acres, a first-of-its-kind retreat to connect safe haven adoptees and their families, creating community where kids can share a story few classmates will ever understand. If you’re curious about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, modern adoption, or what it takes to build trust in the most fragile moments, this conversation is for you. Listen, share with someone who needs hope today, and if our mission resonates, please subscribe, leave a review, and consider supporting at shbb.org. Your voice helps more families find their yes. Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    59 min

  2. JAN 13

    From Radio Waves To Rescues: Pat Miller On Championing Safe Haven Baby Boxes

    Sitting with our longtime friend Pat Miller, we unpack how Safe Haven Baby Boxes transform a desperate moment into a safe handoff—alarms triggering on door open, climate control keeping infants secure, firefighters trained to respond in minutes without confronting the mother. We go deeper than headlines to tackle the “now what” so often missing from pro-life debates. Our work meets women where they are—planning an adoption, handing a child to trained staff, or choosing anonymous surrender—without scripts or shame. Pat shares stories from the field and from his radio career, including the weight first responders carry when they recover deceased infants and the hope they feel when a box alert ends in a living child. We also talk growth: 396 baby boxes across the United States, each one a local system built on training, clarity, and compassion. Faith runs through the conversation as a compass, not a slogan. Pat recounts the quiet conviction that led him to Christ; we reflect on choosing faithfulness over fame and letting open doors set our route. Looking ahead, we announce a first-of-its-kind retreat for birth mothers who surrender—distinct from traditional adoption services—and gatherings for families raising surrendered children, to normalize their stories and anchor identity in love. It’s about building structures that turn care into outcomes: faster responses, safer babies, and supported parents. If this story resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a review to help others find these life-saving conversations. Your words amplify the mission—and might open the next door. Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    37 min

  3. 11/18/2025

    A Police Officer, A Nurse, And The Baby Box That Built A Family

    A single email on spring break flipped our world: a newborn had been safely surrendered in a Baby Box, and we were asked to interview that night. Between a police station with spotty reception and a nurse’s instinct, we said a shaking, courageous yes. What began as a late-night Zoom became a story of rescue, resilience, and a family remade—twice. We walk through the moments that matter: the training gaps first responders face around Safe Haven laws, the medical unknowns that shadowed the first days, and the kindness of a foster family who taught us newborn basics while we waited on a court order. You’ll hear how community rallied—diapers, formula, a nursery built in a weekend—and how National Adoption Day turned our living room into a media hub. We also take on the hard questions: how to tell a child her origin story without shame, how to honor a birth mother’s love and anonymity, and how to balance privacy with public education so more mothers know there’s a safe option. Maya’s health journey moved from fear to awe as EEGs normalized and milestones stacked up, revealing a bright, strong-willed, hilarious kid who wakes up ready to take on the day. And the story kept growing. We revisit our earlier IVF chapter, transfer mosaic embryos once considered too risky, grieve the loss of twins, and welcome a healthy daughter at 37 weeks. That arc—from surrender to adoption to birth—threads together faith, community, and a simple family motto: open heart, open hands, open home. If you care about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, adoption ethics, first responder readiness, or the everyday grit of building a family, this conversation offers practical insight and a steady stream of hope. Press play, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and help us spread awareness of Safe Haven options. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what part of this story stayed with you? Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    41 min

  4. 10/21/2025

    Expanding Safe Haven: From Laws To Life-Saving Devices

    Two infants a year might sound small—until you’re the coroner who sees what happens when a parent has nowhere safe to turn. We invited Chief Deputy Coroner Riley Hoff from Douglas County, Washington, to explore why well-intended Safe Haven laws still miss families in crisis and how a simple extension—24/7 anonymous infant safety devices—can turn fear into a safe handoff and a second chance. We unpack the real constraints on the ground: the 72-hour window, the requirement to face staff at limited locations, and the stigma that keeps parents from walking through a busy door in a town where everyone knows everyone. Riley brings a public health lens shaped by death investigations, touching on the pressures of addiction, homelessness, and mental health that complicate perinatal decisions. We contrast Washington’s experience with Indiana’s results, where secure, alarmed baby boxes linked to first responders have correlated with zero fatal abandonments due to abandonment and a growing number of safe surrenders. The point isn’t replacing people—it’s protecting privacy at the crucial moment when a parent needs an anonymous, immediate option. Together we outline a pragmatic roadmap: authorize infant safety devices within the existing Safe Haven framework; set clear standards for installation, alarms, and response; and fund a statewide education push so parents, hospitals, shelters, and schools know the law. We also talk about compassion over judgment—why prosecuting a mother who leaves a newborn safely in a hospital can drive others away from care, and how hotlines and counselors can support without steering the decision. If you care about maternal and infant health, harm reduction, and practical policy, this conversation offers data, lived experience, and a plan to save lives—one quiet door at a time. If this resonated, follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review with your take on how Washington should modernize Safe Haven access. Your voice helps move policymakers and protects the next newborn who needs a safe start. Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    26 min

  5. 10/07/2025

    Saved In A Box, Raised In Love

    Two alarms changed everything—one to a fully involved fire, and one to a life waiting in a baby box. We sat down with the Martinez family in Albuquerque to share the raw, unedited journey from infertility and foster‑care training to the moment a five‑pound newborn arrived at their station and rewrote their future. What followed was a whirlwind of NICU nights, confusing protocols, and a simple vow to keep showing up. Along the way, we talk openly about grief from the fatal blaze, the moral courage of a birth mother who chose safety and anonymity, and the quiet heroism of first responders who train for a moment they hope they never miss. We pull back the curtain on safe haven laws, baby boxes, and why anonymous surrender can be the difference between tragedy and a second chance. The Martinezes describe the emotional whiplash of placement—“you have him,” “you don’t,” “you can visit”—and the steady faith that carried them to adoption day. You’ll hear about bottle feeds and monitors, a name chosen to honor a lost brother, and the day cardiology said, “This is the last time you’ll see us.” We don’t skip the hard parts: addiction’s grip, identity questions for adopted kids, and the delicate balance between privacy and telling a story that can save lives. What emerges is a love letter to community: firefighters ready to respond, ICU nurses who teach first baths, caseworkers finding their way, and listeners who care enough to advocate for safe, practical options. If you’ve ever wondered whether baby boxes work, or how faith, policy, and perseverance meet in the real world, this conversation offers an honest map—and a reason to hope. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help more families discover safe haven resources and real‑world stories like Mikey’s. Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    45 min

  6. 09/23/2025

    Dignity in Death: A Coroner's Mission to Honor Abandoned Babies

    Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    55 min

  7. 09/09/2025

    From Safe Haven to Eternal Rest: Christian's Journey

    Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    42 min

  8. 08/26/2025

    When Love Finds Its Way Through a Baby Box

    The Barkmans never expected a phone call on the way to a funeral would change their lives forever. When they answered, they learned about a baby boy surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box who needed a home. That baby became Samuel, their beloved son who's now a rambunctious four-year-old with a love for tools, adventures, and showing affection to everyone around him. In this deeply moving conversation, Samuel's parents share their remarkable adoption journey from becoming licensed foster parents to the emotional moment they brought home their two-week-old son. But their story also reveals the challenging reality behind the adoption process - the 16-month wait before Samuel was legally theirs, during which he was officially known only as "Baby Boy Doe" in all documentation. The Barkmans offer a window into how they navigate the complexities of open adoption conversations with a young child. With remarkable honesty, they describe how they answer Samuel's toughest questions: "Why don't I look like you?" and "Where's my second mom?" They've preserved the letter Samuel's birth mother left with him in the baby box, along with his original blanket, treasures they'll share with him when he's old enough. Their experience helped inspire legislative changes to improve the adoption process for Safe Haven babies in Indiana. The conversation explores the delicate balance between adoption agencies and the foster care system, with the Barkmans advocating for maintaining pathways for loving foster parents to adopt children in need. What shines through most clearly is the Barkmans' gratitude toward Samuel's birth mother and their openness to connection should she ever reach out. "We pray for her every night," they share. "Samuel knows his story and will always know how thankful and grateful we are to be part of it." Ready to support more families like the Barkmans? Visit our website to learn how you can help connect surrendered babies with their forever families. Support the show shbb.org Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on: TikTok Instagram Youtube X Facebook Find Monica Kelsey on: TikTok Instagram

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Beyond the Box with Monica Kelsey is a powerful podcast dedicated to raising awareness, educating the public, and advocating for change in the fight against infant abandonment. Hosted by Monica Kelsey, Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, this podcast dives deep into real stories, expert insights, and the life-saving impact of Safe Haven laws and baby box programs across the country. Each episode features compelling conversations with firefighters, legal experts, healthcare professionals, policymakers, adoptive families, and even mothers who have used Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Together, they shed light on the challenges, victories, and ongoing efforts to provide safe, legal, and anonymous surrender options for parents in crisis. From heartwarming rescue stories to policy discussions shaping the future, Beyond the Box is a must-listen for anyone passionate about saving lives and supporting vulnerable infants.

Information

  • Creator
    Monica Kelsey
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Beyond the Box
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Box

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