Timothy Jaccard honored for his work helping abandoned infants
Timothy Jaccard, a captain with the Nassau County Police Department, was recently recognized for his work as founder and president of the AMT Children of Hope Foundation by receiving the New York State Liberty Medal. He is pictured with state Sen. Steven D. Rhoads. Credit: Office of state Sen. Steven Rhoades
A Wantagh man’s decades of protecting babies recently earned him the highest civilian honor from a member of the New York State Senate.
Timothy Jaccard is founder and president of the AMT Children of Hope Foundation, which started as a way to pay for the funerals of babies who were victims of infanticide and has since evolved its focus to preventing the tragedies from occurring. AMT stands for Ambulance Medical Technician, as the foundation was created by Jaccard and AMT members of the Nassau County Police Department in 1998, he said.
Jaccard, 75, was recognized for his work earlier this summer with the New York State Liberty Medal issued by State Sen. Steven D. Rhoads (R-Bellmore). The medal is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers, according to Rhoads.
Of receiving the medal, Jaccard said: “It was a good feeling, but all I want is to just make sure that the word is still getting out about what we’re doing.”
Jaccard, a captain for the past eight years with the Nassau County police, began his career as a paramedic with the department and said he became involved in funding funerals for babies after 16 newborns were murdered in a 10-month span in Nassau County about 55 years ago. He began arranging burials for the babies at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, he said.
Jaccard’s good deeds, which have since resulted in hundreds of burials for babies, eventually grew into a national movement to prevent infant abandonment when he helped pioneer Safe Haven laws enabling parents in crisis to surrender newborns at designated locations — like firehouses and hospitals — without fear of prosecution, he said.
He estimates his efforts have saved the lives of more than 5,000 infants nationwide.
“Timothy Jaccard’s selfless service and tireless advocacy are nothing short of heroic,” Rhoads said in a statement. “His work has brought dignity to lives lost, hope to parents in crisis and a future to thousands of children.”
Jaccard is also president of the National Safe Haven Alliance, which equips Safe Haven providers and parents with “safe alternatives that prevent infant abandonment while providing holistic care for both parents and babies,” according to its website.
