Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul

Specialties

Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul (formerly Saint Paul Area Council of Churches) unites the people, resources and voices of the faith community to build a more just, safe and livable East Metro for all. Our vision is to relieve the effects of poverty and address its causes though the transformative work of thousands of volunteers.

We believe taking action can profoundly change lives: not only for those in need, but also for those who want to make a difference. Our programs include: Department of Indian Work, Project Home, Project SPIRIT, Farm-​Faith Project, and Interfaith Youth Connection.

History

Established in 1906.

Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul began as a Sunday School Association in 1906. It was the beginning of the cooperative movement that drew together the Protestant church leaders of Saint Paul. These organizers of what became the Ramsey County Sunday School Association and their descendants, who generations later would set in motion Saint Paul Area Council of Churches, retained Puritan belief that a close reading of the Bible encouraged literacy.

For over 100 years, the Saint Paul Area Council of Churches harnessed the powerful capacity and compassion of congregations to meet the needs of underserved populations. During this time there have been growing needs in our community and in response, we have grown to include all faiths, beyond Saint Paul’s borders and beyond traditional social services. In 2015, to more fully align with our purpose, our name changed to Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul.