Interfaith Community Services

Since 1985, ICS has provided compassionate service to help people in need achieve stable, healthy and independent lives. ICS provides essential safety-net services such as emergency food, financial assistance (with rent, utilities, prescriptions and back-to-work items) and job search help to give families in need the tools to become self-sufficient. ICS also mobilizes volunteers to help seniors and disabled individuals stay safe and healthy through Mobile Meals, transportation, wellness calls/visits, minor home repairs and yard work. Our programs go beyond the immediate to help clients establish long-term sustainability.

ICS brings together over 1,100 volunteers, 118 diverse faith communities and hundreds of community friends and partners to make a real and positive difference for more than 47,000 people each year. Leveraging these resources, ICS is able to bring about daily success stories:

• The ICS van has served many in a variety of ways. Driver “Tuesday Ted” had a trio of ladies who shopped at the Walmart store on Ina and La Cholla every Tuesday. They had plenty of room in the van to be sure that each person’s groceries were kept separate and they could be comfortable, too. While the ladies shopped, Ted waited in the van and took that time to visit with his terminally ill son in another state. In that case, the van served both the volunteer and the participants in a caring partnership.
• Due to her advanced health problems, Rose was confined to a very heavy wheelchair. Transporting her was nearly impossible in volunteers’ cars due to the weight and awkwardness of this device. The ICS van made it possible for our volunteers to take her to necessary medical appointments. Rose rolled right into the van and then transferred to the seat in order to use the seatbelt. Rose said, “If it wasn’t for ICS, I don’t know how I would get to see my doctors. Thank you so much!”
• Gerry drives the ICS van on Fridays. He often drops off one participant to shop, and then picks up online orders from Walmart for two house-bound participants. During this period of quarantine, having the van available to pick up orders for quarantined participants offered plenty of social distancing and safety for our volunteers and participants alike.
• Megan is single and recently moved out of a domestic violence shelter after finding a job and becoming ready to move into her own place. She needed help with move-in and rent costs. ICS paid the first month's rent, and she paid the deposit, placing her in a much more independent and healthy place than the one from which she took shelter.

This year, we are asking for your help to purchase a new wheelchair accessible van to bring homebound seniors to essential appointments. Please click on the ICS Care-A-Van Fundraiser below to learn more about this important campaign. 

At ICS, we see every day how a little assistance can go such a long way in changing and improving a life. ICS doesn't charge for these services, so your support of ICS makes a life-changing difference! Thank you for caring!