KENNESAW, Ga. – Two Cobb County women are on a mission to make sure the heartbreaking circumstances of babies left abandoned and unwanted are turned around into something life-changing and hopeful.
"Most of the time these girls (who abandon babies) feel they don't have another option, especially if they're scared for whatever reason," said Sarah Koeppen, Co-Founder of The Hope Box.
"Being that we are the number one state in America for sex-trafficking, there's a rise in women becoming pregnant through this and not knowing what to do with their babies," said Tiffany Turolla, Co-Founder of The Hope Box.
It's why Koeppen and Turolla are building The Hope Box, an actual box built inside a door, with a pull-down door that closes, where women can anonymously place their babies, who will, eventually, receive medical help and permanent homes.
"It has a door to the outside where a mother can come and place her baby and close the door and it automatically locks. And, from the inside, a member of our medical team will take the baby and assess the baby, make sure all the vitals are stable. From there we will place the baby into our nursery, where volunteers will take care of the baby," said Turolla.
They will also call the licensed Embracing Life Adoption Agency, which is partnering with The Hope Box to find permanent homes for the babies.
In Georgia, a mother who willingly abandons a child, loses rights to the child.
The Hope Box will be the first of its kind in the United State and is patterned after the 2015 documentary, The Drop Box, distributed by Virgil Films and Entertainment, which chronicles a South Korean minister who created a box where mothers can anonymously leave babies. The documentary follows the babies as they eventually find loving homes.
"(The idea of anonymous boxes for abandoned babies) is all over Europe. All over the rest of the world," said Koeppen.
Among the countries with similar boxes are Japan, India and Germany.
Years ago, the Catholic Church used a foundling wheel.
"What they would do was put a baby on a wheel and they would spin it. And, the nuns would receive the baby from there," said Koeppen.
"We are not an adoption agency. We are not an orphanage. We are able to do rescues and able to get the child adopted out in a very legal fashioned way," said Koeppen.
While both women are passionate about the project, for Sarah, it's personal, because of Elijah, her nine-year-old son.
"He was dropped off at my door at three (years old)," said Koeppen.
Six years ago, a woman Koeppen didn't know, but who knew her and her family left him with her.
"She brought him with a suitcase and car seat and a bicycle," said Koeppen.
Elijah has received the kind of love Koeppen, Turolla and the other volunteers with Hope Box want for all abandoned children.
"The goal is to, even if we just saved one. One child, then that's one child that had a chance," said Koeppen.
For women who can't make it to Kennesaw to the Hope Box, there's a hotline number for women to call, and volunteers will come to them to get the baby.
While The Hope Box is still under construction, the hotline is active now. The number is (470) 315-2366.
The Hope Box is a non-profit and is funded by donations. Anyone willing to help (including volunteers) should call (770) 765-6301 or go to The Hope Box website.