The mission of Steps to Heaven is to focus on families who have an infant in a ‘NICU’ or have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

Steps to Heaven provides families in crisis with infant ‘NICU’ day gowns, receiving blankets, crocheted caps, as well as infant burial remembrances.

Founder Phyllis Berberich says the organization just wants families to have something special to place their babies in during a time of crisis.

“Steps to Heaven is as a nonprofit organization which began in 2015 and it’s a ministry that’s developed into helping families in crisis who have lost an infant child either early in the pregnancy or not long after a full-term pregnancy,” explained Berberich.

An education teacher, Berberich retired as a public school teacher, but still wanted to give back. Steps to Heaven was then created.

“This is called a pocket blanket and these are for babies that pass away that weigh less than two pounds,” added Berberich. “It’s basically a square and we turn it to look like a diamond but inside the seamstress has created a pocket so that the tiny infant can be placed inside the pocket. We always have the matching keepsake pillow so that in years to come the family has something special that resembles the item that their family saw their infant in the last time.” 

Berberich says the clothing is meant to respect the life of an infant child who has been lost.

“We have also done special things to the gowns like open the back up provide the little ribbon so that it’s easier for whoever going to dress the baby,” Berberich said.

Steps to Heaven is currently servicing three hosptials and three pregnancy centers in Acadiana, a mission hospital in Haiti, and a monastery in New York that assists pregnant women.

“Steps to Heaven is just trying to provide families with something special on a horrible day in the lives which comes from a beautiful bridal gown or a special piece of fun fabric that they can look at their child and just have a pleasant memory of how sweet and precious the life of their child is,” added Berberich.

Steps to Heaven is currently looking for a facility where volunteers can sew their outfits.

If you would like to donate, contact them on Facebook here.