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.
Episodes
23 episodes
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 i...
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...
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, courageo...
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...
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 ...
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 ...
#13 My Husband and I Built a Life-Saving Organization While Our Family Was Falling Apart
Behind every life-saving organization is a deeply human story of vision, sacrifice, and perseverance. In this revealing conversation, Monica Kelsey turns the microphone toward her husband Joe, unveiling the remarkable journey they've traveled a...
#12 The Instigator's Journey: From Troublemaker to Advocate
What happens when your little sister knows all your secrets and gets to interview you on your own podcast? Pure authenticity, unexpected revelations, and a deeper understanding of the personal journey that shaped a national movement.In ...
#11 The Man Behind 21 Baby Boxes
The brotherhood of firefighters represents a special bond forged through shared danger, commitment to service, and unwavering support for one another. This episode of Beyond the Box pulls back the curtain on this powerful connection through the...
#10 Redemption Through Abandonment: The Safe Haven Baby Boxes Story
Every revolution begins with a moment of clarity. For Monica Kelsey and her friend Pam Stenzel, that moment happened in Cape Town, South Africa, where they encountered their first "Baby Safe" – a simple device allowing desperate mothers to safe...
#9 From Darkness to Purpose: A Birth Mother's Safe Haven Journey
A rare and powerful conversation unfolds as Monica Kelsey welcomes a birth mother who surrendered her baby in a Safe Haven Baby Box. With remarkable courage, this young woman shares her complete journey—from discovering she was pregnant at 16 w...
#8 From Bill to Baby Box: A Legislative Journey
From a simple conversation to a nationwide movement saving hundreds of lives—the untold story of Safe Haven Baby Boxes unfolds through an intimate chat between founder Monica Kelsey and former Indiana State Representative Casey Cox, the man who...
#7 The Day that Saved My Life.
What happens when a night of celebration turns into the worst moment of your life? In this raw and unflinching conversation, Monica sits down with her son JJ to discuss the night that forever changed both their lives—when JJ's choices behind th...
#6: Beyond the Badge - When Abandonment Turns Into Inspiration
A cardboard box in a frigid apartment hallway during a winter storm became the unlikely beginning of an extraordinary full-circle story. Matthew, abandoned as a newborn just days before Christmas in 2000, has defied incredible odds to become a ...
#5: Isabella’s Story of Survival, Strength, and Service
What happens when a child once abandoned becomes a passionate advocate for others facing the same fate? Isabella’s remarkable journey, from being left at a Chinese orphanage at less than two days old to becoming a dedicated champion for Safe Ha...
#4: How Kentucky Became a National Leader in Infant Safety with Rep. Nancy Tate
Kentucky State Representative Nancy Tate joins Monica Kelsey to share the powerful legislative journey behind bringing Safe Haven Baby Boxes to the Commonwealth. As a freshman legislator, Tate led the charge on three bills that passed unanimous...
#3: From Surrendered Baby to Police Officer with Matthew Stewart
What happens when an abandoned baby grows up to protect the very streets where they were once left behind? In this deeply moving conversation, South Bend Police Officer Matthew Stewart shares his extraordinary journey from being the "newspaper ...
#2 - Giving Every Baby a Name - Linda Znachko
Linda Znachko, founder of He Knows Your Name Ministry, recounts her journey of providing dignity and proper burials for abandoned infants after seeing a news report about "Baby Doe" found in a dumpster. Her powerful mission statement that "Doe ...
#1 - Welcome to Beyond the Box with Monica Kelsey
Welcome to the debut episode of Beyond the Box with Monica Kelsey, a brand-new podcast from Monica Kelsey, Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. This series will explore the stories behind the mission to protect newborns and...