According to Olivia Imchen, center manager, Pregnancy Resources at Cornerstone, 5380 Lincoln Highway, Gap, having the organization's baby boutique in the basement of the main building, a remodeled mansion located in the center of Gap, was not convenient for everyone. "For women who are pregnant or just gave birth, there are a lot of steps to go up and down," noted Imchen, who added that the space was also crowded.

Starting in February, Imchen was able to change that for Cornerstone clients by moving the boutique into the carriage house, located behind the main building. Amish Home Outdoor Classics of East Earl is donating and installing shelving that will help Imchen to better organize the boutique. According to Imchen, those shelves will be laden with all-new items, including diapers, wipes, formula, baby clothes, bottles, shampoo, body wash, towels, and washcloths, along with other baby items. "Church sewing circles donate baby hats and baby blankets," she said. "We have a lot of those things in the boutique." Imchen reported that a few churches have held baby showers for Cornerstone and that one church showed the movie "Unplanned" with an admission fee of baby food items, which were then donated to Cornerstone.

Cornerstone's vision is to empower individuals to embrace life-honoring choices, and the organization's Healthy Lifestyles program offers clients an opportunity to earn points they can use to purchase items in the boutique. "Clients sign up for classes, and they do a class weekly with a client advocate, who is a volunteer," explained Imchen, who added that most classes are 45 minutes to an hour and provide information about pregnancy, parenting, or healthy relationships. "(The clients) discuss what they learn with the advocate and do homework," said Imchen, who noted that homework points may be saved to help clients purchase large items such as a crib and mattress, car seat, or playpen.

Readers who would like to know more about Cornerstone may visit http://www.pregnancyresources.org. Individuals who would like to donate to the boutique may call 717-442-8694 or email oli@pregnancyresources.org.