A Safe Haven for Newborns Offers Critical Support and Safe Options for Women Facing an Unplanned Pregnancy

Providing hope, confidential counseling, resource referrals, and emergency aid to women in their most difficult moments

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, April 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Gloria M. Silverio Foundation, 501 (C) 3, d/b/a A Safe Haven for Newborns, is committed to eliminating the ultimate in infant abuse, abandonment, through education, grassroots community involvement, and direct assistance by providing non-judgmental help and offering resources to pregnant women in crisis at no charge to them; all the while protecting their privacy.

Infant abandonment is a plight that crosses all categories of age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The Foundation is a lifeline for young women — as young as 13 to as old as 43 — facing an unexpected pregnancy many of whom have been abandoned by their families, left homeless, or nearing childbirth without prenatal care. “Each call to the helpline is unique. Be ready, and begin by listening with an open heart. You can’t always know the struggles someone is facing, but your understanding can make all the difference,” said Silverio.

A Safe Haven for Newborns provides confidential referral services in the state of Florida through a network of agencies that Nick Silverio, founder of the nonprofit, assembled and continuously adds to. “The goal is to create a network of community resources that creates a safety net for women who feel scared and alone. With just one call to the 24/7 multilingual confidential helpline, they can receive the help they need,” said Silverio. Some of the services are: counseling, health-related issues, postpartum depression, transportation to prenatal care appointments, refuge at a women’s shelter or maternity home, directing them to the nearest hospital if she is about to give birth, information on adoption and confidentially placing the infant in the arms of a medical professional at a designated safe haven location. “We are always adding services to our comprehensive referral database of resources to provide the help they need where they live,” said Silverio.

The Direct Surrender Method gives the birth mother the peace of mind that she is leaving her infant in the arms of a compassionate health professional. This method is the most humane, caring way of surrendering a newborn. ”This is a profoundly emotional moment for both the mother and the person receiving the infant,” said retired firefighter Janice Matos of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. It allows trained health professionals to quickly and effectively assess the needs of both the mother and newborn and gather extremely valuable health information affecting the immediate and long-term care of the newborn. It also provides the opportunity to offer emergency medical care to both the mother and her newborn and to offer the mother resources to get counseling and supportive services. If a baby is found to be abused, neglected, or potentially trafficked or kidnapped, the trained professional can recognize this and contact law enforcement. “A Safe Haven for Newborns program is saving lives, both the newborn and the mother; 437 babies (427 in Florida, nine in other states and one in Honduras). The Foundation has also assisted 75 mothers who chose a private licensed adoption agency,” said Silverio.

To successfully facilitate the direct safe surrender of an infant, the Foundation provides online training to all 24/7 Safe Haven facilities and law enforcement agencies free of charge. Over 25,000 professionals have taken the online training program. All ER hospitals, 24/7 manned fire and EMS stations display the Safe Haven for Newborns signage that is provided by the Foundation, at no charge to the facilities, designating them as a safe haven location. The Foundation also provides complimentary educational materials to the ER hospitals, 24/7 manned fire and EMS stations.

A Safe Haven for Newborns does not support the use of the Indirect Surrender Box Method—referred to as the Infant Safety Device, or more commonly as a baby box— because such devices eliminate all personal interaction during what is often an emotionally complex surrender. Placing an infant into a baby box and closing the door eliminates all contact with the surrendering parent, limiting a healthcare professional’s ability to assess the infant’s condition or determine whether the mother requires immediate medical care. Once closed, a trained staff member is the only one who can open the box from inside the facility, preventing any interaction with the individual leaving the infant. There have been documented instances of deceased infants, animals, and non-infant items being left in surrender boxes.

The baby box approach places the full financial and operational burden on the hosting fire station or hospital, as the device must be permanently embedded into the facility’s structure, with all associated costs borne by the institution. The cost to purchase a baby box ranges from approximately $16,000 to $22,000, with additional expenses including installation, a five-year rental term, and annual maintenance fees of up to $1,000. Currently, Safe Haven Baby Box is the sole provider in the United States.

Identified as a national model program in saving newborns from abandonment and assisting pregnant teens and women in crisis, A Safe Haven for Newborns has assisted other states and countries develop similar programs that work in their communities.

To learn more about A Safe Haven for Newborns visit their website and subscribe to the monthly newsletter. Your donation is always welcomed and deeply appreciated. Simply click “Ways to Give” on our website to learn how your support can help mothers in crisis. A Safe Haven for Newborns is making a difference, and you can too.

Nick Silverio
A Safe Haven for Newborns
+1 786-246-1304
safehaven@asafehavenfornewborns.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
X

Partnership: A Safe Haven for Newborns, Hospitals, Fire/EMS - Saving Lives

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.