Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Koeppen. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Sarah is married and has five children. Sarah’s journey began years ago when a young child was dropped off at her front door. She studied the law and eventually was able to secure sole custody of the child.
Her experiences over the years have given her an expert level of knowledge on issues of abandonment and child services.
Sarah is a public speaker, child advocate, and expert on the issues of the abandonment of babies and works diligently to fight against sex trafficking of infants. Sarah was instrumental in amending the Georgia safe haven law (House Bill 391) in 2017.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In early 2014, The Hope Box was launched! We had determined the launch would be in 2015, but the Lord had different plans. The original intent of The Hope Box was to have actual boxes located throughout the state so that mothers could relinquish their infants in them, no questions asked and no threat of prosecution. This was an idea that originated hundreds of years ago in Europe. As we researched this idea, we became aware of many other issues surrounding infants and mothers.
1. The Safe Haven Law in Georgia was out of date. So we were able to amend the law in 2017 in one session.
The law went from 7 days to 30 days for mothers they no longer had to leave information. Safe Haven Locations are fire stations, police stations, health departments, and hospitals.
2. Hospitals to home program that is where infants are left in hospitals for lots of reasons which is another form of abandonment. The hope box is your safe haven provider so we partner with the state to get these infants out.
3 . Infant sex trafficking
Did you know that babies, including children under the age of three, are being trafficked in the United States every day on the black market? These are infants being sold for sex. The hope box fights to save these babies and rescue them.
We started with an idea that led to finding the real issues and creating solutions.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Rescue Babies, Empower Women, Unit Communities.
Author Founder and Director of The Hope Box.
Being able to impact and save lives around me.
I am sunshine and a visionary that believes in the future of this country. With an unwavering passion to advocate for children.
What are your plans for the future?
To work myself out of a job by eradicating the root causes of infant abandonment.
I am looking forward to seeing the children The Hope Box has rescued becoming adults and seeing their impact on the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@thehopebox.org
- Website: thehopebox.org also to order Sarah’s book go to calledtohope.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehopeboxorg
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/home
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/sarah-koeppen/the-hope-box-youth-and-college
