Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawna McConnell and Lisa Yount.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In October 2000, a newborn girl was found in a shed in Townsend, Tennessee. Her 14-year-old mother had concealed her pregnancy and given birth alone. The baby died from severe dehydration, which devastated the community and highlighted the urgent need for increased awareness and prevention. This tragedy motivated two women to come together and advocate for life-saving changes.
Deeply affected by the tragic event in their small community, co-founders Shawna McConnell and Lisa Yount prayed for a safe option for the next desperate mother and her unplanned newborn. As longtime friends, they frequently discussed heartbreaking news stories, including the one from Townsend, and both shared a strong desire to find solutions to such situations.
One afternoon, Shawna shared an article she had read in a women’s magazine about a journalist in Alabama. This journalist proposed an idea to her district attorney: to offer women with unplanned pregnancies immunity from prosecution if they surrendered their unharmed babies to a designated safe facility. After learning about this initiative, Shawna and Lisa realized it could be a solution for their community. They shared the information with local law enforcement, legislators, community leaders, and other concerned citizens. A task force was established and after several meetings, the Safe Haven Law was drafted, and the bill was filed with the Tennessee Legislature. Their efforts ultimately led to the passage of the Tennessee Safe Haven Law, which took effect July 1, 2001.
The Safe Haven Law provides a vital option for mothers with unplanned newborns to surrender their unharmed babies safely at designated facilities within 45 days of birth, ensuring protection from legal repercussions and offering a supportive and compassionate solution during a crisis.
Shawna, a proud mother of three beautiful children, and Lisa, an adoptive parent blessed with a precious newborn whose birth mother was only 15, both share a deep passion for giving back. Their blessings have inspired them to advocate for unplanned newborns and the mothers who feel desperate to keep their babies a secret.
With the passage of the Safe Haven Law, Shawna and Lisa dedicated themselves to ensuring that no other babies would suffer similar fates. They committed to spread awareness about the Safe Haven Law across Tennessee and to train, equip, and support all facilities that handle surrender cases. Shawna and Lisa, with the assistance of Senator Doug Overbey, co-founded A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in September 2001. This organization has worked diligently to share the lifesaving message of the Safe Haven Law for almost 25 years. At this time, a total of 141 newborns have been surrendered safely and legally under its provisions. These surrenders average to nearly one newborn surrender every other month over the past 24 years.
As co-founders and members of the Board of Directors since the organization’s inception, Shawna and Lisa have dedicated countless hours to the mission. The organization consists of seven staff, including Executive Director Julie Scruggs, nine committees, and many Board members serving on multiple committees, who each play a specific role. The organization hosts two major fundraisers a year. In April, the Swings that Save Golf Tournament is held at the beautiful Egwani Farms. In September, the Serves that Save Tennis Tournament is hosted by the Knoxville Racket Club. SSP is approaching its 25th anniversary in 2026 and will be adding many new events throughout the year, such as a Mahjong Tournament in January, a motorcycle benefit ride in June, and a 25th Anniversary Gala in August!
Some key and ongoing projects include:
– Training over 1,500 Safe Haven facilities across the state on how to perform a compliant newborn surrender, according to the TN Safe Haven Law.
– Equipping all designated Safe Haven facilities with mothers’ packets, rack cards, compliance posters, and supplies necessary for a safe newborn surrender.
– Partnering with Family Life Programs and Wellness classes in high schools to educate 9th-12th grade students across Tennessee on the Safe Haven Law.
– Establishing statewide Task Forces to develop a network of advocates for the Safe Haven Law. Each Task Force collaborates with our organization to create meaningful impacts, empowering diverse communities to educate mothers about their options.
– Expanding our social media presence (e.g., TikTok, Facebook, Instagram) to enhance visibility, engage with diverse audiences and age groups, and build community.
– Creating a Safe Haven Ad Campaign to raise awareness and promote the confidential surrender options available through the Safe Haven Law. The awareness campaign will include targeted education for school counselors, school nurses, and school resource officers in areas with higher surrender rates.
– Distributing Spanish-translated materials, such as mothers’ packets, rack cards, and other promotional materials, statewide, reflecting the growing Hispanic population.
– Maintaining a 24/7 helpline for mothers in crisis to call for immediate information and assistance.
– Keeping our website updated with information regarding changes to TN Safe Haven legislation and facility updates.
– Maintaining an accurate and updated database of designated Safe Haven facility locations for mothers seeking options.
– Conducting awareness campaigns on college campuses, including events like the Newborns and Neyland tailgate.
– Attending and sponsoring educational and facility-oriented conferences, where we present and exhibit to spread awareness of the TN Safe Haven Law through various avenues.
A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee’s mission is lifesaving and ongoing. There will always be another group of women who need education about the TN Safe Haven Law, so our work must remain continuous and relevant.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initially, the biggest challenge we had was the fact that there was no option for young mothers to anonymously surrender their babies. Under the law, as it stood at that time, an anonymous “surrender” was considered illegal abandonment and means for prosecution. The only legal option was traditional adoption – which was, of course, not anonymous. As Shawna and Lisa began looking into the idea of bringing A Secret Safe Place for Newborns to Tennessee, we were told that the only way to do that was to get the law changed. At that time, we were not familiar with all that would entail but had begun researching the process of how to make that happen.
After the abandonment in Townsend, we found that there were lots of folks in the community and state who were affected by this tragedy and were motivated and inspired to pass the Safe Haven Law and to bring SSP to Tennessee. The need for this safe option for young mothers became very apparent and the support we had was tremendous.
After the TN Safe Haven Law was passed in 2001, we have worked very hard to make sure that young mothers are aware of the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of the Safe Haven Law and that 1500+ designated Safe Haven facilities are trained and equipped for a potential surrender. Considering that this is a statewide law, and we are a group of volunteers with a very small staff, this is a tremendously daunting task! This is, by far, our biggest challenge.
The SSP board and committee members log hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteer hours each year. Together, with our staff, we are working in our communities across the state to raise awareness, training and equipping our facilities, and seeking partnerships to financially support the efforts we are continually making. This work has many facets to it, and it takes a tremendous amount of manpower and financial support to ensure that this life-saving message is always being shared to young mothers who are seeking a safe option for her baby and herself.
A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee is a statewide nonprofit organization based in Maryville, Tennessee, serving all 95 counties. Our primary challenge—and one of our most important responsibilities—is to inform women across the state about their safe and confidential options under the law to prevent newborn abandonment and have a presence in all 95 counties.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Shawna McConnell Career/Professional Experience:
Before retiring my license to be a full-time Mom, I practiced as a Speech-language Pathologist at Blount Memorial Hospital and for the Blount County School system.
My work with A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of TN has always been as a volunteer BOD and committee member, as well as to work alongside our staff members with administrative operations. I currently serve on the Executive, Development, and Donor Relations committees. I serve as an advisor to the Relevancy committee, and I serve as Chair for both the Strategic Planning and the Task Force committees. I absolutely love the privilege of doing this life-saving work, alongside amazing people, and consider it one of my life’s greatest blessings.
Lisa Yount Career/Professional Experience
When my husband and I moved to Maryville, Tennessee, I began working with him in his private dental practice. I enjoyed being a part of building the practice from the ground up.
In April 1994, when our beautiful and long-awaited daughter was born, I became a stay-at-home mom. This change allowed me to nurture her while also dedicating time and passion to another important endeavor: A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee, which I co-founded in 2001.
Later, when my daughter started high school, I made a career change and became an insurance agent, a role I held for another 10 years before returning to my husband’s office until he retired, all while continuing to serve A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee.
Since 2001, I have dedicated countless hours of volunteer service alongside incredible individuals to help establish A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have the unique opportunity to help co-found this lifesaving organization.
I have always been committed to volunteering for SSP’s mission and have been a member of the Board of Directors since its inception. In addition to my Board membership, I continue to serve on the Executive Committee, as well as on the Development Committee, Education Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Task Force Committee. I also have the honor of chairing the Nomination Committee. Every hour I spend volunteering is a privilege, and I am grateful to be part of such a worthy and lifesaving mission.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
From Shawna – My advice to anyone who is considering starting, joining, or partnering with the mission of a non-profit organization is to follow your heart! We have a saying in our home to “leave this place better than you found it”. We believe in serving, meeting needs, and making an impact for the better. I believe everyone has that ability and sometimes it just takes finding what stirs up that passion inside you to really make a difference. It can be in big ways, but also in very small ways – it all matters. Pay attention to the things that touch your heart, challenge you, inspire or excite you, and then just find a way to make it a reality. Talk to people – you will be surprised how much can be done when even just a few people come together with a common goal. It may not happen overnight, or it may be an ongoing, daunting task, but the reward is, by far, worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.secretsafeplacetn.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsafeplacetn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretsafeplacetn/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsafeplacetn
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Co – Founder Shawna McConnell, former State Senator Doug Overby, Co-Founder Lisa Yount. Picture taken by Rhythm Collective Additional Photos from Left to Right Lisa & Shawna speaking at a dedication service at Blount Memorial Hospital for the 1st Anniversary of A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee SSP 10th Annual Serves that Safe Tennis Tournament. Picture taken by Express Strategic Services Action shot from Serves that Save taken by Express Strategic Services Action shot from SSP 5th Annual Swings that Save Golf Tournament. Picture taken by Express Strategic Services Golf carts ready to be driven at Swings that Save. Photo taken by Express Strategic Services SSP logo Shawna & Lisa pose for a photo at SSP Life Saver Lua in 2005
