Why Marlborough's Baby Safe Haven Won A Worcester Music Award

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The best music venue in the area isn't the Palladium, Indian Ranch or Mechanics Hall. According to readers of Pulse Magazine, it's the Baby Safe Haven New England stage.

The Marlborough-based organization that raises awareness about the Massachusetts baby safe haven law has been bringing its message to concerts and festivals across the region in recent years by sponsoring a music stage. The Baby Safe Haven Stage was voted the best local venue in Pulse Magazine’s 2023 Worcester Music Awards.

"The Baby Safe Haven Stage has only been in existence for about four years, has been seen by tens of thousands of young people at dozens of concerts and festivals where Baby Safe Haven has either sponsored or put on our own music shows," the Baby Safe Haven New England said in a news release.

State lawmakers passed the Safe Haven Act in 2004, allowing parents to surrender newborns at places like hospitals, police stations and fire stations without fear of criminal prosecution.

The Baby Safe Haven Stage has appeared at festivals like the Color The City Festival in Worcester and the Natick and Arlington Porchfests. The portable stage offers musicians a place to play along with musical equipment. The stage also features a prominent yellow sign with simple instructions for anyone who may need to surrender a newborn under seven days old in Massachusetts.

Every New England state has a baby safe haven law, although some differ on how old a baby can be when it's surrendered. Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut all allow surrenders up to 30 days old.

Marlborough couple Jean and Mike Morrisey founded Baby Safe Haven New England. A main goal of the organization is to recruit young influencers to inform new generations about baby safe haven protections.