PALM COAST, Fla. — The city of Palm Coast has a new way to help parents in crisis safely surrender their newborns.
The Palm Coast City Council, Palm Coast Fire Department, and community partners dedicated a new Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 25 on Tuesday.
The Baby Box, located at 1250 Belle Terre Parkway, allows parents in crisis to surrender their newborns anonymously, enhancing the existing Safe Haven Law that requires in-person handoffs at designated locations.
“As firefighters, our mission has always been to protect lives,” said Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill during the dedication ceremony. “Today, it means dedicating a resource that can protect the most vulnerable lives in our community—newborn children.”
The dedication ceremony included remarks from Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Box, and other community leaders such as Bryant Perszyk of the Knights of Columbus and Council Member Charles Gambaro.
Father Manny Lopez from Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church delivered a blessing over the Baby Box, emphasizing the community’s commitment to supporting parents in crisis.
Despite the rain, a crowd gathered to show their support for the initiative, highlighting the community’s dedication to providing life-saving resources.
The Palm Coast Safe Haven Baby Box was made possible through the efforts of local organizations like the Knights of Columbus and Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis, who raised nearly $41,000 for the project.
Since 2017, 69 infants have been safely surrendered in Baby Boxes nationwide, and the Palm Coast box is monitored 24/7 by fire department personnel to ensure immediate response when activated.
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