Who We Are: HISTORY

Interfaith Community Services was founded in 1985 as Northwest Interfaith Center with three words as the vision - Love, Cooperation and Service.

Our founder, Rev. Barbara Anderson, then associate pastor at St. Andrew′s Presbyterian Church, believed that volunteers and congregations of diverse faiths should work together and share resources in responding to local community needs.

In addition to leveraging local resources (funds, in-kind support, and volunteers), this effort would also help to build bridges and understanding within the diverse faith communities.

Highlights of our years of operation:

• 1985 - six Northwest Tucson congregations came together as Northwest Interfaith Center. The office, located on the campus of St. Andrew′s Presbyterian Church, became the umbrella for a Food Bank, TeleCare, Volunteer Caregiving (VICaP), Good Samaritan emergency assistance, and Mobile Meals.
• 1987- a grant from Pima County for the Good Samaritan program began an important partnership that continues today.
• 2001 - NWIC faith communities numbered 18, including the first Jewish community - Congregation Or Chadash. A move to the present location behind Christ the King Episcopal Church provided additional space with access to a public bus line.
• 2003 - senior services were boosted by support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, and the Compassion Grant.
• Also in 2003, we started our Health Advocacy program to provide health care advocacy and education to seniors and disabled individuals.
• 2005 - we changed our name to Interfaith Community Services to reflect the countywide scope of our services.
• 2006 - ICS received an Achievement Award in Innovation from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona for our Health Advocacy program. We also opened our first satellite office on the Eastside in order to better serve people in financial crisis.
• Today, nearly 60 faith communities, many businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and hundreds of individuals support our services to people in need.

Despite the many changes ICS has seen through the years, here are two things that remain the same:

• Volunteers remain the heart and soul of ICS. Our more than 600 volunteers donate over 36,000 hours of service per year in support of our programs.
• And our mission remains focused on "love, cooperation and service" as we help the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged achieve stable and independent lives.