Beyond the Box
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.
Beyond the Box
From Storage Unit To Saving Lives
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Meet Monica And Mariah
SPEAKER_02This is Monica Kelsey from Beyond the Box. We're in the studio today with one of my longest employees ever that has worked for me. Most everybody quit before they get to this point. So welcome to Beyond the Box, Mariah. Thank you. So today we're going to kind of do something a little bit different where people can kind of get to know us. Okay. And some of the shenanigans that we did along the way and just kind of like the road
Starting Broke And Volunteering
SPEAKER_02that we've kind of traveled since 2016. Because you've literally been with me since 2016.
SPEAKER_01Yes, I have.
SPEAKER_02So for those who don't know who you are, why are you so important to Monica Kelsey?
SPEAKER_01Um, I met Monica um through the fire department that both you and my husband served on. And when you told me about this, I was like, I've got to be involved somehow, some way. And maybe for a little bit I wasn't getting paid, but that's okay.
SPEAKER_02Hey, okay, so let's go back to that because that's kind of a funny story in itself. So, you know, when we started, there wasn't a lot of money at all. Right. There was no money. There was zero money. Zero. Like I was paying for shirts to be made so we could sell the shirts um to put the money back into safe aid. To impurse bingos to make money. That's a whole nother day. Yeah. Uh but and and so when you actually started, you started volunteering back in 2016. I did. Doing the bingos and stuff. And then you got a raise. I did. $400 a month. Yes, I did. We were all making $400 a month. That's right. And there was one month I remember. So this was actually, I think, before you actually started with us and you were actually getting uh some some money is we were paying everybody $400 a month, and there was one month that we couldn't pay someone. Yeah, that's how broke we really were. We were yeah. So uh so yeah, so back in those days,
Storage Unit Winters And Fundraisers
SPEAKER_02we uh we did it because it was the right thing to do. And then when you first started, we didn't even have this building. No, we had a storage unit. Oh, the dreaded storage unit. So it well, and it wasn't too bad in the summer. Well, when it was really when it was really hot, it was really bad. Yes, but when it was in the winter, it was brutal. It was brutal, literally brutal.
SPEAKER_01And if it snowed, it was way worse because you had to get the snow off of the garage door in order to open the garage door, and it was just it was cold and it was in an area where the snow would just sit there and twirl.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. And uh, and it was always like we had bottles. So remember, we were doing the purse bingos and we would put the bottles of wine and beer um in that storage unit and the cans of pop that didn't sell. Yes. And we forgot about them in the winter time because we, you know, we wanted to save them for the next video. Always had to, always had to find a way to cut and save money, save money, and uh, but I think it costs us more in the long run because in that storage unit, remember the one time we found mouse droppings in the t-shirts? Yes, we're like, throw those away, like get them out of here. Yep, we're gonna start all over. We're done with this. So, okay, so some of the shenanigans. So a lot of people get to see me
First Press Conference Jitters
SPEAKER_02up front. Sometimes they're seeing you now because you're now out there in front of the camera a little bit more. I remember the first time you put you in front of a camera, and that that was brutal for you.
SPEAKER_01That was extremely brutal. You happened to be in New Mexico. No, I was like, you were in Mexico on vacation, and we get a baby. I called you to let you know because I didn't know if anybody had reached out to you just yet. And I didn't know what kind of service you were getting or if any. And I had a full-time job at that time, and you called me back and you said, What are you doing tomorrow? I said, I'm working. Why? You want to go do the press release? The press conference. Yeah, the press conference about the uh baby that just got surrendered. I was like, Oh boy. I did. I made you type up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was sitting in Cabo typing up your speech in our in in in in the hotel room, I guess, or whatever it was, resort room. But uh but yeah, that was um that was interesting. And then I actually watched you live from Mexico as you were uh trembling. Yeah, you well, and you read it word for word, like you were like scared to death.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I was so terrified. And then it didn't help that there was a lot of people that we knew because this was a local one, yeah. It went off, but that that was in New Haven. Yes, New Haven.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so if anybody wants to, you know, Google that and watch it.
SPEAKER_01Please don't you could hear in my voice how terrified I was. I'm not a public speaker at all. I'll do trainings all day. I don't have a problem with that, but getting in front of those cameras is a totally different mindset. It's totally different.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's
Radical Openness And Pushback
SPEAKER_02totally different.
SPEAKER_01It's very scary, very intimidating.
SPEAKER_02Well, you now you're doing it. Now I'm doing it. Yeah, so now it's like not a big deal. No, no, not a big deal. But the the first time was kind of a big deal.
SPEAKER_01Well, and it just so happened to be the press conference for the baby, and that made it even that more real and that much more difficult to because I knew in my speech I was gonna be reaching out to this mom, and that was that terrified me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, and that's you know, that was important though for us to reach out to her. I would have loved to have done it from Cabo, but I don't think anybody would have came down and recorded me. Probably not. Well, I might have. I might have gone down and recorded. I definitely was probably not in a good space to be doing any press conferences at that time. Probably not.
SPEAKER_01No, you were you were having fun.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So so what do some of the people not know about Monica Kelsey? You would be surprised if they learned. You are pretty much an open book.
SPEAKER_01I really am. I don't think that there's not much that people don't know about you. Wait, that was that's a difficult question. I didn't think you were gonna throw at me.
SPEAKER_02Well, it's it's probably difficult to answer because of the fact that we have two million followers. Yeah, you know, just on our social media accounts that pretty much know. I mean, I literally have opened my life to this organization.
SPEAKER_01And you're very honest, you don't hide anything about this company, about your family, about any of us? You put it all out there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, I think that's important. Yeah, I think that's important because I think people need to see um the realness of us. Yes. And we're not gonna bullshit you. No, you know, it's like I mean, there's some times where
Couponing Hustle And Stretching Dollars
SPEAKER_02I say something and you guys raise your eyebrows, like, oh, she did not just go there. You know, does anything come to mind of something like that? Like you were like shocked that I actually said it. Which one should you name?
SPEAKER_01I would have to go back and look because there are times there are times I just can't pinpoint one where I'm like, oh, you probably should have not uh done that. Um but you'll go after our haters, and I'm like, oh, wait a second. Wait, wait, should we not do that yet just to antagonize them even more? But I mean, you you are you're just an open book, you don't care what people think, and you're just brutally honest, and people need to realize that. And yeah, that's just who really both of us are, because I am in the same way.
SPEAKER_02I think that's why we click so well for so long. It's because we're both the same type of personality.
SPEAKER_01We started going out couponing together.
SPEAKER_02So let's go back to the couponing days. So this is before you even worked for me. Yeah, I think you were volunteering for me, or maybe this was before this was before that.
SPEAKER_01You didn't you I don't even think that you had been to Cape Town, South Africa yet at that point at the time.
SPEAKER_02But I was still at the fire department looking for each other. Yeah, so uh I had it down to a science. You did have it down to a science. When I get something in my mind, it's like I am going to go until I can't stop anymore. And I knew exactly what I needed to do to get stuff for free. Like, it wasn't ripping.
SPEAKER_01If her kids wanted something that she did not get with a coupon or for free, they were not getting it.
SPEAKER_02No, no, no, no, no, no, they weren't. They were not, and my garage became literally like a storefront. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I had people coming in and like, hey, do you got any of this? Do you got any of this? And they would just be like taking it. And so, but couponing was like it was one of those things where you had to go on the right day. You had to go uh on Sundays and clip the coupons. Right. And and then you had to turn around and put all the coupons. I mean, it was like a full-blown, like we had books full of coupons.
SPEAKER_01So we were organized and knew which store to get what to at the best deal. And it you you had it down to a science.
SPEAKER_02Well, it was great. And I and I gotta tell you, I I the one thing that I remember that we always got for free was hamburger helper. And I bet you had a hundred boxes at your house because your husband likes one type of hamburger helper. Three cheese, three cheese, three cheese hamburger.
Wearing Many Hats On The Team
SPEAKER_02Your pantry had to be like stacked.
SPEAKER_01It was stacked.
SPEAKER_02Did you did it ever expire? I mean, it had to have expired.
SPEAKER_01It had to have expired, but I'm telling you, he pretty much ate that all the time. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02Oh, so much crap.
SPEAKER_01To this day, like he'll ask for it, I'll cook it. I cannot touch it.
SPEAKER_02No, it was uh the coupon days. My gosh, we got so much for free, but we saved a lot of money. We did saved it. We saved a lot of money. We had a lot of body wash left over and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_01Body wash, shampoo, toilet paper, paper towels.
SPEAKER_02Well, and then and then, you know, that that that show extreme couponing came out, and people were like getting like you know, thousands of dollars. We weren't doing that. I mean, we were like doing $50 to $75 of free stuff, you know. And but when they started really understanding how it went, then the stores kind of like yeah, it stopped. So we weren't getting double and triple coupons at the one stores that we went to anymore. And I was like, oh, dang it. But so I still but I still think worth it. No, but I'll tell you what, I still clip the Meyer coupons. Yes, every time I go to Myers, I am clipping their coupon. I am not messing around. If I can save 50 cents, I'm gonna save 50 cents.
SPEAKER_01Why pay it? Yeah, it's like stupid.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but uh, but yeah, oh my gosh, I almost forgot about the coupon days. That was craziness. That was literally craziness.
SPEAKER_01Yes, that's just how we started out, and then you went to Cape Town, South Africa, and and boom. There we go.
SPEAKER_02There we go. So, okay, so let's talk about some of the uh the trips that we've been on. So when I hired you, it was me, you, and JJ. And Joe. And and Joe. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You originally hired me for to help Joe, and then you might have stolen me from Joe's and took you back.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. You've kind of bounced between ja you've done besides building a box, you've done every job here. Besides my job, of course. Yeah. So you you've you've literally, if I walked out of here today, you could pretty much
A Tense Confrontation In Cincinnati
SPEAKER_02do everything in this company because you've literally went from one position to another position to another position because we needed you here, we needed you there. You know, somebody left us and we took you back there.
SPEAKER_01And filled in for like filling in for Joe when he's at drill with the contracts. I've done that. So yeah, I can do pretty much everything except build a box.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I can't do that either. So that's what's maybe we should learn.
SPEAKER_01No, then we'd be unstoppable. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02We would when no, there's no way. We do not have the patience to build a box. There's no way.
SPEAKER_01Probably not.
SPEAKER_02No. So okay, so so we've been on some trips. So, what are some of the trips? Let's go with one trip. I'll uh I've got one in my mind. What is one trip that we went on that was pretty hilarious? Like, like we just had a really good time or nothing went right. And and don't say the city if you're gonna say something, because there is some confidential stuff with birth moms. You know, we don't want to say the city or or that stuff.
SPEAKER_01I guess it was kind of a comical but also scary one. You want me to go into that one? Oh, yeah, let's let's do it with the Cincinnati area?
SPEAKER_02Cincinnati area. Oh my god. Yeah, we did. Oh yeah, let's talk about it. Let's talk about it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so one of our haters got a little extra over there, and you and me and an ex-employee went and things kind of got a little heated. Um, I remember him stepping up to you in your face, and I was like, uh oh, here we go. And we had to use an old employee to get this gentleman out of your face. And then you and I had gone to the restroom before we left because we knew we were gonna have a trip, and he we came out of the restroom, and there he stood waiting for us. And I was like, this is just gonna end terrible.
New Mexico: Sun, Fish, And A Convertible
SPEAKER_02Yeah, because you knew I was not walking away from that.
SPEAKER_01I knew you weren't gonna walk away from it, and I had your back from the beginning on that, but it it ended up being okay, but it was one of those where this could either go really, really good or really, really bad. And we kind of teetered on that line.
SPEAKER_02We did have to get police to escort us up.
SPEAKER_01We did.
SPEAKER_02We did. That that was one of the yeah, that that was one of the the that I don't know that that was scary for me because I think I could have taken him.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I don't have any doubt in my mind. I just did not have enough bail money with me to help you.
SPEAKER_02I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Allegedly, I could, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So yeah, that was a good trip. That that was it was interesting, but you know what? At the end of the day, that box is still there and we're still.
SPEAKER_02And the box has been used. Yes. And the box has been used that we fought for. So yeah. Yeah. So my uh my one of my most memorable trips was New Mexico. Okay. That was second on my list. That that that was a trip that I don't think we anticipated how much fun we were really gonna have. So just to give our audience a little bit of context, we went out there for four days, I believe. We had to go out there for four days. And we thought, well, let's go early. Let's go one day early so we can swim and get the sun because we love the sun. Yeah, it's just cold here. Oh, it was, yeah, it was so cold. And I think it was in March. Yep. I think it was in March at that time. And so we, you know, which actually I think we saved money on our flights because we flew out on a Saturday morning instead on a Sunday. But, anyways, that's beside the point. But and so we fly out there on Saturday, we get to the hotel, and the pool hasn't opened yet. Right.
SPEAKER_01We're like, and we walked around. There was like, I don't know, like maybe another two hotels. And we were like, we'll move hotels. We'll just we're gonna move hotels. We gotta find one with the with the pool open. And I'm like, okay, let's walk around. And all of them were still closed. Yeah, you were have it a fit.
SPEAKER_02I but you know what though? You knew me. Yeah, you you knew we were gonna find a way to get some water. Yes. In some water, and so yeah, every pool was closed. Every pool was closed. Every pool was closed, and so Saturday night we went to Walmart and you were shopping because we wanted to get some like cottage cheese and stuff, so that we didn't have to spend all the money on food, you know, at going out to eat and stuff. And so you couldn't find me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, could not find you. I was like, where did she go? We were both in the grocery area and now she's gone. And where did you find me? In the fishing at Walmart, with a with two kitty uh pulls. I think you had gotten like a hello kitty one and uh I don't remember what paw patrol. Paw patrol. Yes. I was like, what are we doing now?
SPEAKER_02Oh my god. And then they the worms. Do you remember the worms? They were garlic seasoned. Like we were gonna eat them. Most awful smelling things in the world. The bad part about the worms, not to jump ahead, but we left them in the trunk. When we open the trunk, it stung so bad because they were all dead. Yeah, it was awful. Oh my God, I can't believe it. But, anyways, okay, so that was jumping way ahead. Anyways, so we buy the poles. Well, we're getting the poles. I got the little fish. I mean, because I used to fish. I mean, I'm I'm kind of a big deal on a pond, you know. I mean, I grew up on a pond. I was fishing when I was younger, and you know, all that kind of stuff. So I was like, well, if we can't find a pool, next best thing's a lake. Where's a lake at? And there were a couple lakes back there. There was a couple lakes. And so we're standing there, and you're like, Are you are well at what did you ask me? Are you gonna get a license? I'm like, what do you mean a license? I have a license.
SPEAKER_01No, you need a fishing license to fish down here.
SPEAKER_02And you remember the guy? I'm like, do I need a fishing license? And he's like, Yeah, you're gonna fish.
SPEAKER_01You gonna fish buying the poles for fun.
SPEAKER_02And so we so what was it, like 40 bucks? Yeah, it was yeah, it was a and that was per person. So what did we do?
SPEAKER_01Monica Kelsey bought her own and did not buy one for Mariah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, because why? Because you weren't gonna fish anyway. No. I'm like, if you catch a fish, I'll grab your pole. So because we didn't have them up. I mean, we were like broke. Yeah. But like boring the pot.
SPEAKER_01Nope, we're not spending another $40 on this. We're just going to uh go ahead and just get one.
SPEAKER_02Just yeah. So we got one fishing license, two poles, and some garlic worms. Yes. And I I had some hooks and everything.
SPEAKER_01Did we end up, was it little kids' chairs too? Oh yeah. Yeah, we don't know. So
TSA, Travel Fails, And Inside Jokes
SPEAKER_01we had somewhere to sit.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we needed some chairs.
SPEAKER_01And I think those matched the fishing holes. Monica, what are we gonna do with these to get these home?
SPEAKER_02Okay, so we get we find a we find a lake. We do, we find a lake, and um, and we walk up to this lake, and there's other people fishing there. Yeah, yeah, this little boy, uh, if I remember. Um, it was a little girl. A little girl, yeah, it was a little girl. And she was fishing. Yes, she was. She was fishing, and evidently it's a pretty big deal in New Mexico to go fishing. Um and uh I caught a fish. You sure did. And then I caught another fish. You sure did. I was like rolling. You were doing good. I just sit back watching, get in the sun. We did get the sun on that trip. We did. Uh, but we did really and we did release all the fish back into the lake. We we did not keep those. Unfortunately, we did have to have a memorial for the worms because they uh yeah, got cooked in the park. They um what's the word I'm looking for? Um, it was a uh I can't think of the word right now. Like an uninten un unintended death. Yes. Worms. Yes, but uh yeah, and so on that trip though, also we uh were getting our rental car at the airport before we had before we got down to Hobbes, and the lady was like, Hey, do you want to upgrade to a convertible BMW? And I'm like, Well, for how much? Now I can pay $58 extra for a convertible, but I ain't paying $40 extra dollars for you to get a fishing license.
SPEAKER_01Don't just get me thrown in jail, not a big deal.
SPEAKER_02Uh and so we drove all the way down from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Hobbes, New Mexico with the top down. And then on the way back, it rained.
SPEAKER_01It rained. I I seen it coming, and I'm like, Monica, there's rain in the distance. We'll be fine. We'll be fine. Okay.
SPEAKER_02We and we have video of us.
SPEAKER_01I'm pretty sure that's out there on TikTok already. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Where
Meeting A Birth Mom And Full Circle Moments
SPEAKER_02we're literally driving in the rain.
SPEAKER_01Driving in the rain, and then it started getting cool. Monica's like, nope, we're not putting the top down. And I'm like, I'm freezing. Turn on the heat. So we've got the heater on blast and still the top down. I'm like, what is wrong with this picture?
SPEAKER_02It's because we were not about to like, no.
SPEAKER_01No, Monica gets in a convertible top that's down all the time.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's it. Doesn't matter what it's doing outside.
SPEAKER_02That's a done deal right there. Like, we're we're we're not putting it up. No, ever.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01No, and then you paid made poor Wickersham sit in the back of that little convertible, and he is what, six, two, six, three?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, uh, easily. Yeah, easily. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you remember we picked him up at his hotel. Yeah. And he jumped in the back of the the um the convertible like freaking dukes of hazards.
SPEAKER_01He had to sit sideways because he could not sit straight because his legs were so long. I'm like, Monica, we can just take his vehicle. Nope, we're taking the convertible. Nope, we're taking the convertible. I'm like, Wicker Chim, I am so sorry.
SPEAKER_02Well, and you remember then when we we pulled the car, you know, and yeah, we we we we tried we tried to get it to where it wouldn't. Well, the first time we we parked it, we didn't realize that it was leather seats and our asses were gonna burn. Yes. Uh, because they did burn. They did. And so after that, we're like, where's a tree? Let's let's just park under a tree.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Tree. And I I think we did buy towels at Walmart too. And then we got smart and started putting the towels down, so we did not burn.
SPEAKER_02I I doubt we bought towels. We probably stole them from the hotel.
SPEAKER_01Well, that could be too. I don't know. Everything got left with Wickersham, so we should call him and see if he has any of the fishing poles or the chairs anymore.
SPEAKER_02He said he was gonna donate some of those to his guys on the fire department. So, for people who don't know who John Wickersham is, he is the assistant fire chief for Espanola Fire Department. He became the The first location in New Mexico to have a baby box, and he fought to get that box in. And so he's been a friend of ours for a very long time. Uh, such a good guy. Um, and there's been a lot of fun times with John Wickersham. Uh, he is one of those guys where um you're gonna have a good time.
SPEAKER_01You are going to have the best time.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you're not going to worry about any, he's never in a bad mood, ever, ever in a bad mood. Uh and um just loves to have fun. He does. He really, really, really does. Uh, I can see him becoming a senator or a reb in Congress. Yes. I I think he's gonna go a long way. I wish he would run for governor of New Mexico, but I don't think he's I don't think he's gonna go there. But yeah, but he is he's uh he's quite a good guy. He really, really is.
SPEAKER_01And I believe on that trip on the way back, I had my miss me jeans on that were bedazzled. Bedazzled on the pockets, and I set the alarms off at the airport.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, I saw that photo. That's actually your cover photo for my phone.
SPEAKER_01Oh, great, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So when I click your name, yeah, there you there you are standing with your arms up.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so at TSA. Monica, I set the alarms off and they were like, okay, you've got to be searched. Monica's like, wait, wait, wait, I gotta get my phone. She's waiting for her phone and stuff to come out of the conveyor belt. And I'm like, Are you kidding me? I don't think the lady was very happy about that, but the lady at the TSA agent says, Do you want to go uh into a private room? And I'm like, Do I have to take any of my clothes off? She's like, No, I was like, then I don't care. Just search me. I said, I know it's my jeans. So of course, Monica, it's enough time for Monica to grab her phone and record the entire thing. That's one thing about you that everybody has to watch around you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll get you.
SPEAKER_01You, yeah, you will, yeah, you will get it. I will get you with my phone. You get you with the phone, and then it goes on one of the social medias, if not all of them.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I I have my daughter. Uh, she got three uh cavities filled on the right side, and she was drinking water. She sent me a video.
SPEAKER_01I'm like, that that was the don't don't ever do that. Like, don't send videos or pictures that you do not want put out there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm like, that one's going on the internet. Like, I can't wait for that one. Stick that one out there. Um, so let's let's talk
Why Trust Matters For Safe Haven Moms
SPEAKER_02about one other time when we were out and about that I think gave us both a new perspective. And I I when I start talking about it, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Um, but we got to meet a birth mom on the road, and the way we got to meet this birth mom was very unconventional. Um she actually came to our event, and um that was one of the times, without going into it too much, that was one of the times that I was able to physically see one of these moms, or one of the first times, I guess, because now we've had some of the moms come here and stuff, and that's it's not as uncommon anymore for these moms to reach out to us and become our friends. But but for this mom, she just showed up and we were like, What is going on? Like, what is happening right now? But I think it gave us a new perspective of these moms just want to know that their babies are okay.
SPEAKER_01That's absolutely all they want. Because when they shut that door to the box, they don't hear anything, they know nothing because they hightail it out of there because their wish is not to be seen. So they have no clue what has happened since the time that they placed that baby in the box up until we release about it.
SPEAKER_02What are your thoughts about that day?
SPEAKER_01That was an awesome day. To actually, I mean, we get to see the other end where you know we get to meet these babies, but we don't get to see that part very often. And especially at that point in time, we really had not seen a whole lot of that. Right. So to be there and witness her there was it was just amazing. I mean, I she was so strong to even show up to that. But then just to witness all of it was just it put a new not that I never not believed in this, but but it made me believe even more.
SPEAKER_02Like you could see the full circle. Yeah. Like what we say out in public or what I say out in public isn't bullshit. It's not. It's like this is what they're telling us. This is what they're wanting. They're they're wanting to know that their baby's okay. They want to know who we are. And I think that's why people trust us so much, is because we we we don't have any secrets. You know what I mean? It's like, this is who we are. We're gonna fight for you. You know, believe it or not, we're gonna fight for you. If you place your baby in that box, we're gonna fight for you. Uh, not that we wouldn't fight for anybody else. That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that we have their back. And I I think that they see that. And so being able to meet them and them seeing
Haven Acres: Next Chapter Of Support
SPEAKER_02us, I think just kind of brings it full circle for them as well. Like, oh my gosh, like they really do have my back. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, all the stuff that they say is not bullshit. It is very true. And that proved to her that we had her back from day one.
SPEAKER_02You you know, she still texts me.
SPEAKER_01Does she?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, she does. Um, not very often. Not very often. Um, I'm gonna say I hear from her, and I don't I don't text a lot of these moms until they text me. I just don't want to invade in their privacy after.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because when they're ready to open up and tell their story to you or say some of the it that's on their time, not our time.
SPEAKER_02Well, and these moms, just so our audience is clear, I don't call them or text them because I don't know who they are. They contact us first, right? And but I don't reach back out to them until they reach out to me again first, just so that I don't interfere with the life that they're living now. But about I'm gonna say, probably for her, probably once a year, I hear from her. And um, you know, some of these moms, they they pull their lives together in a way that for them, this meant everything.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02This is how they were able to do it. Um, and some people might say, well, yeah, but there's all these resources she could have just yeah, but she chose this. This is what she chose.
SPEAKER_01And that was her decision, decision. That was not ours. Right. And that's a huge misconcept that goes around about us too, is that we force these women to utilize our box.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We do not.
SPEAKER_02No, and this mom, this specific mom, didn't even reach out to she just showed up at a blow, or it wasn't even a blessing, it was an event that we were holding. But um, she just showed up there and uh we were like, oh my gosh, like this This is the first time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like and we had to scramble to make sure that everything went smoothly for her.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Um which was uh which is one of those times where I think I appreciated her even coming, you know, so that we absolutely so that we could hear from her and that we could, you know, love on her even just for a minute.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it it showed that she was confident in her decision. You know, like she just knew and for her to stand there, yeah. She was so strong. Yeah, she really was so strong, and it just like I said, it made everything full circle for me. Because that's the that was my first encounter.
SPEAKER_02You had never met a birth mom before that?
SPEAKER_01I've never met a birth mom.
SPEAKER_02Well, now you've met a few of them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. It's like, oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02It's like we've had a couple of them in our shop and spent the weekend up here. And um it's it's it is a blessing to be able to see that side of it. It is. I'm excited for our next venture to be able to help these moms even more, you know, and these kids even more. Um,
Being Mistaken For Each Other
SPEAKER_02instead of, you know, just doing it from afar and and hoping everything turns out. There's never been an organization out there that has really wrapped their arms around safe haven mamas and and safe haven babies and and making sure that, you know, uh, that they're gonna be okay. Right. You know, so for us, this is a big venture for us, Haven Acres. Um, but this is gonna be one of the most fulfilling things I think we've ever done. I really, really do. Because when we have a room full of birth moms getting the counseling that they need and us just getting to love on them and spend the weekend with them, I mean, it's just like oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01And not only that, then they could all meet each other and have each other's backs because they were all in somewhat a similar boat, right? I mean, everybody's story is probably different, yeah. But it was the same thing for all of them that they chose safe haven baby boxes to utilize that. So then they've got somebody that they can talk to too besides us, or if they've told any family members or friends, you know, they may not have told anybody and now they have each other.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Yeah. Uh we'll be uh giving more information about Haven A Haven Acres in a uh few months when we get a little bit closer. Um, but we're pretty excited about that here. That's kind of like the next step for us. I I really think that us being a ministry, we need to really minister these moms. And I'm I'm excited to do it. So anything else you want to tell our audience about Monica Kelsey?
SPEAKER_01I love that people get us mixed up all the time. I actually had it when I was in West Virginia just this week. Somebody walks up to me and I introduce myself as Mariah, and they're like, Oh, you're the one that that started this baby box program. I'm like, no, I didn't. You know it's like that's Monica. And I'll get people that'll call here and I always say safe haven baby boxes, this is Mariah, and I'll start talking to them and they're like, Are you sure you're not Monica? Yeah, I'm pretty positive I'm not.
SPEAKER_02You know, I get it a lot though when I go out, but you know, before I even introduce myself, they're like, Are you Mariah? I'm like, Nope. Nope.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's because these locations they talk to me up until blessing.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01And sometimes it's you showing up to the blessing, and sometimes it's me or it's Jesse. So yeah, sometimes they just don't know who's who. And I mean, our names are so are so close together. And um, I've even got I've even gotten asked if I was your daughter, and I'm like, please do not tell her that. I was like, there is not much age difference here. I will shoot you, not say that to her. No, I'm not her daughter.
Growth, Busy Blessings, And Teamwork
SPEAKER_01Are you related to her? I was like, there's a possibility. She was abandoned. I mean, but yeah, it's just it's crazy how I get that a lot. Like, I'm just Monica coming. Oh, sorry to disappoint you, but no, she cannot no longer be at every single blessing.
SPEAKER_02I did the first 200 by myself, and that was it. Yeah, it's like I can't do it anymore.
SPEAKER_01No, it's a lot, especially like weeks where we have three, four blessings in one week. You it's just impossible to do now. And it would have been more possible back in the day when pretty much we were only putting them here in Indiana or Kentucky or Arkansas, yeah. But now I mean Arizona, yeah, we can't Mexico, Texas is taking off, and I mean to just travel just through the state of Texas can take a couple days, so yeah, it's just not feasible anymore for you. No, no, and I always tell them, I'm like, I'm sorry, I hate to disappoint you, but you get me in the oh no, it's okay. And it's like they were like, Oh, I didn't even think about making her feel bad. Not that it does make me feel bad.
SPEAKER_02I think it's funny, but yeah, it yeah, it just it's one of those things though that you you hear enough and it's like you just kind of go on about your day. Yeah, yeah. I had the chief, uh, was it it wasn't in the Texas or the New Mexico? It was um the the event that I went before that. Uh, where did I go before that? Oh my gosh. I don't know. I went to some blessing and they were thanking people from safe haven and they didn't thank Monica. They said they thanked Mariah and Joe.
SPEAKER_01It was like, I'm like, brought me back. Wasn't it Ohio that you brought me back my yeah? They gave me a plaque with your name on it. Monica's like, well, I guess this belongs to you now. I'm like, uh, it's just because I have so much communication with them beforehand.
SPEAKER_02Well, and you know, it doesn't bother me. Honest to gosh, like there's some lady in Texas that's calling herself the baby box lady. It's like, you go, girl, whatever. You know, it's like you just have at it. Maybe some of the publicity will go your way and come off of it. But we don't want to wish that on her. No.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_02Uh well, thank you for coming on Beyond the Box. Thank you for hanging with me for
Gratitude, Kids In The Shop, And Closing
SPEAKER_02five years coming up on no four years. Five. Five, it'll be five in November.
SPEAKER_01Five in November full time.
unknownOh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for sticking it out for $400 a month. When we first take a little bit more than that now. There's a lot of perks though, now, you know.
SPEAKER_01I mean, there's I get to travel the world. I mean, just like when Jesse and I were just in West Virginia, it was gorgeous out there. So I get to, you know, see the world, open these boxes.
SPEAKER_02Just wait till we get out of outside of the country.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And then sometimes you just like we've had babies, our babies show up to blessings that we didn't even know were gonna happen. And it's like you just get taken back by it. So it's just it's a great experience.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's pretty awesome.
SPEAKER_01So many benefits just to see these little ones running around. Yeah. I mean, we had them what, two, three years ago in our shop running around here.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, that was an that was a nightmare to most people, but that was organized, yeah, organized chaos for us. Come on, I we don't care.
SPEAKER_01Like, don't touch this, don't touch this, don't touch this.
SPEAKER_02We're like, touch it.
SPEAKER_01We don't care, it's fine. They're not as long as they don't hurt themselves.
SPEAKER_02We don't care.
SPEAKER_01There was nothing we had putting everything away here that could have ended in a bad situation. We had put everything away, but we just let those kids run this place.
SPEAKER_02Yep, they ate so much chocolate that night. I'm sure their parents hated us.
SPEAKER_01Oh, probably.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, the chocolate. Remember, I was just handing them bags.
SPEAKER_01Bags.
SPEAKER_02It's like, take this home with you.
SPEAKER_01That's one thing you don't do. Don't bring your child around Monica Kelsey and not expect them not to get sugar or something that they or your dog. Yeah, or your dog. Your dog's gonna get treats. Treats, yeah. All my dogs know. As soon as we get here to work, go to Monica's office, she's the treat lady. I'm like, I need one of those shirts.
SPEAKER_02You see those on TikTok that says treat lady? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I need one of those. You sure do, because that's what my dogs know.
SPEAKER_02Uh well, thank you. I appreciate everything that you've done. You've stuck with me through the good and through the bad. We've had some really good times. We've had some really strong, some big struggles over the years. But I appreciate you. I appreciate everything that you and your husband have done for Save Aven Baby Boxes and just the friendship that you've given me over the years.
SPEAKER_01It's been great. Uh, I love it. Except sometimes we eat at Applebee's bit too many times, but we don't eat there so much ample.
SPEAKER_02I know you don't. I do a lot healthy now. We do. You and I both, we kind of went really healthy. So see, it's not so bad. It's not, you know, so well. This is Monica Kelsey from Beyond the Box with Mariah, the longest employee at Safe Haven Baby Boxes. And she's still here. God bless you guys, and we'll see you guys next time on Beyond the Box.