It's true, Conestoga Valley SEEDS (Selfless Love, Empowerment, Equity, Deliberate Partnership, Stewardship) is moving. But the local nonprofit is also moving on, moving up and moving forward.

Change is good, and SEEDS' new location is not only part of its natural evolution; it will provide for greater opportunities to execute its mission.

"As an organization, we have goals and dreams, and one was to have our own location," said Conestoga Valley SEEDS co-executive director Kristen Hershey. "It breaks down barriers. This opportunity sort of landed in our laps. We prayed about it, and it seemed like a wise move."

"It's about the availability of deeper connections when you have a spot to come to," said Conestoga Valley SEEDS co-executive director Michelle Kime. "This is our community space. That's super exciting for us. We want to walk alongside and care for our community."

Conestoga Valley SEEDS, which advocates and promotes education, health care and housing for all local residents, is moving its operations two miles, from its original location at Faith Church, 2124 Old Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster, to 1865 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. SEEDS acquired the new office space on April 1 and officially opened its new headquarters on Aug. 1.

"Faith Church has always been focused on the community," said Kime. "My husband (Joel) and I had been in pastor roles there. It was a natural fit that way."

"When we were meeting at Faith Church, we were basically operating for free," said Hershey. "But because we were sharing space, it limited our programs."

CV SEEDS will commemorate the opening of its new digs with a celebratory open house at 1865 Lincoln Highway East from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15. The free event is open to the public, and visitors will be provided opportunities to tour the new space and interact with the co-directors and board members.

Light refreshments will be served. Individuals can also learn about SEEDS' work, mission and needs.

"We envision (the open house) to be a kid-friendly environment for the community," said Hershey. "It'll be a laid-back atmosphere filled with hope and joy."

"Our heart for this open house is for it to be a place where people feel welcome," said Kime, "and where people can connect with resources and programs."

SEEDS' new location will allow it to reshape and enhance its office hours, including times for walk-in appointments. While those exact hours will be announced at a later date, SEEDS has set aside 1 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of every month for individuals to explore the resources offered through its new partnership with Union Community Care, a health care provider which operates four locations in Lancaster County.

The new CV SEEDS' location is also more accessible to public transportation.

"Part of why we were able to make this happen is the kindness and generosity of our community," said Kime. "Because of our relationship with Faith Church, we've been able to save. That, combined with the generosity of our monthly donors, they're the reasons we're able to have a space like this."

"This space is very calming," said Hershey. "It feels very safe and almost like you're at home. We want the community to see it. This is just the next, right step to build programming and partnerships. It's an opportunity to reach the next goals for our organization."

SEEDS' work in the Conestoga Valley community can be traced to 2019. SEEDS was formally founded in 2022 when it launched its English as a Second Language program.

"We really value treating people with humanity and dignity," said Hershey. "People are seen and heard, and they have a purpose and a plan. We serve all people living in the Conestoga Valley community. Our programs connect with all people of all ages and at all stages."

"We engage everyone as our neighbors," said Kime. "Something we see is that these are people, they all have stories and they all have things we can learn from. We're excited to serve our community. We're excited for the growth of relationships, we're excited to learn and we're grateful for the support."

For additional information, go to http://www.seedscv.com.