Sherae Honeycutt

For the past two years, I’ve worked quietly to bring Safe Haven Baby Boxes to Kansas City. I’ve done the research, reached out to the state, talked through feasibility with our Fire Department, and looked closely at how these boxes would fit within our city’s infrastructure. Now, thanks to collaboration with the State of Missouri, Kansas City Fire Department, city administration, and members of our Council, we’re closer than ever to making this life-saving resource a reality.

This isn’t a campaign I stumbled into. I’m here as a long-time advocate for children and families—through my work with Jackson County CASA, FosterAdopt Connect, and my career in public service. But more than that, I’m here because this is personal.

At 16, I ran away from foster care and into an abusive relationship that lasted four years. I didn’t graduate high school, got my GED at 20, and learned to drive at 21. I know what it’s like to feel powerless, isolated, and afraid—and I think often of the women in our city who feel that way now.

Women in unsafe homes.
Women navigating abuse, poverty, postpartum depression, or addiction.
Women who love their babies but don’t know how to keep them safe.

For some of them, walking into a fire station to surrender a child might be possible. For others, it’s terrifying. Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide another option—one that is legal, anonymous, and compassionate. They are designed to preserve dignity in unimaginable moments and to offer grace when someone is out of choices.

I want to especially thank Kayleigh Wasmer for bravely sharing her story. Her voice helped move this effort forward—and her experience is just one of many that show why these boxes matter.

This isn’t just about saving babies—it’s about meeting people with empathy and giving them real, tangible options in crisis. It’s about acknowledging that not everyone has access to the same support, but every child deserves a chance at life—and every parent in crisis deserves a path that doesn’t end in tragedy.

On Tuesday, April 15 at 1:30 p.m., the resolution to implement Safe Haven Baby Boxes will be heard in committee at City Hall. If this speaks to you—whether you work in child welfare, maternal health, or are simply someone who cares about families—I hope you’ll consider attending and testifying.

Together, we can offer one more choice. One more moment of grace. One more life saved.