Starting Point Pregnancy & Family Resource Center, like its name suggests, is more than a place for those facing an unplanned pregnancy. Young people benefit from places like Starting Point, which educate and empower them to make informed decisions about their relationships and future families.
As a life-affirming, community-funded organization, we encourage individuals to be intentional about setting and pursuing goals that contribute to a successful life. Sometimes, a pregnancy decision plays a critical role in this process, and we are here to help.
Those reaching out to us will not only find free pregnancy tests, STI/STD tests and treatment, ultrasounds, education on abortion, adoption and parenting, but they will also discover a safe, nonjudgmental environment with volunteer mentors and loving support for the journey.
In addition, Starting Point supports young families with parenting education, birthing classes by licensed doulas, material support through the “Bump & Beyond Boutique,” licensed counseling and the opportunity to learn with other new moms and dads. In the past 12 months, Starting Point has seen over 340 clients! We are committed to helping young families in Knox County thrive!
SCAN TO LEARN MORE
Paragraphs Bookstore
Find your next great read today!
Maxwell Leaning and Kami Diehl will assist you!
Helping Readers Find the Right Book
In 1995, Mount Vernon resident and local educator Lynda Weston walked into a building on Sandusky Street with her husband Rob to look at the space to renovate for apartments. Instead, Lynda saw a vision for her future bookstore. Paragraphs Bookstore opened the following year with shelves of new books, comfy seats for reading, and even a claw foot bathtub lined with pillows as a reading space for children.
Almost 30 years later, with two location changes and three owner transitions, Paragraphs Bookstore remains a thriving part of downtown Mount Vernon. Customer service is priority and the staff reads hard and works hard in order to “get the right book in the right hands at the right time,” as they like to say. The curated book selection contains titles for all ages and interests. And while books are the store’s main focus, Paragraphs also offers other merchandise. Hand-selected greeting cards, journals, puzzles, toys, soap, chocolate and the ever-popular Jellycat line are just a few of the fun extras.
Paragraphs Bookstore also provides ways to enhance the reading experience. The store hosts author events and book signings throughout the year, storytime twice a month, and writers’ workshops during the school year with The Kenyon Review. They support the local Battle of the Books competition and provide books for local storybook trails. They also work with Experience Mount Vernon and fellow downtown merchants on special events, including Find Waldo Local in July and a new Lord of the Rings-themed event on September 20th—A Middle-earth March Through Mount Vernon: Celebrating National Hobbit Day.
For all your reading needs, Paragraphs Bookstore is there for you!
“Bookshops are dreams built of wood and paper. They are time travel and escape and knowledge and power. They are, simply put, the best of places.”
— Jen Campbell
St. Patty’s Day Feast!
• 2 lbs. lamb or beef
• 6 cups broth
Good
recipes
• 1 tbsp. olive oil divided
• 1 lg. onion diced
• 3 celery stalks diced
• 10 oz. mushrooms sliced
• 6 sm. potatoes peeled/ cubed
• 3 sm. turnips peeled/ cubed
• 3 med. carrots sliced
• 1 1/4 c. lentils rinsed
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt & pepper
Soda Bread Ingredients:
• 4 cups all-purpose our
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
Irish Stew with Mushrooms and Lentils
Prepare ingredients. Trim excess fat from the lamb or beef and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Sear the Meat. Add a small amount of oil and brown the meat in batches, ensuring a golden crust. Heat half tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add meat, potatoes, turnips, carrots, and lentils. Stir in tomato paste, Dijon mustard, paprika, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Slowly pour in broth while stirring. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. The stew is ready when the meat is tender & potatoes have thickened the broth.
Irish Soda Bread
Preheat the oven to 375o. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
Mix our, softened margarine, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly oured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Turn
Combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk in a small bowl; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an “X” into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45-50 min. Check for doneness after 30 min. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
No-bake Grasshopper Pie
• 25 chocolate sandwich cookies
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 cups marshmallow u
• ¼ cup crème de menthe liqueur
• 2 cups whipping cream
Crush cookies. Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs. Place remaining crumbs in a medium bowl and mix in melted butter; press mixture rmly into the bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan. Mix marshmallow u and crème de menthe together in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into marshmallow mixture. Pour mixture into prepared crust and sprinkle reserved cookie crumbs on top. Freeze until rm, at least 2 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly.
