
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


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
Youtube
X
Find Monica Kelsey on:
TikTok
By Monica Kelsey5
44 ratings
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
Youtube
X
Find Monica Kelsey on:
TikTok

11,928 Listeners

155 Listeners

22,412 Listeners

369,989 Listeners

82 Listeners

2 Listeners

896 Listeners

47,800 Listeners

8,501 Listeners

8,853 Listeners

1,504 Listeners

4,225 Listeners

5,693 Listeners

39 Listeners

10,191 Listeners