Our Mission

To create a healthy and stable community for all

Our Vision

A community where everyone has the resources to thrive

Our Belief

ICA’s presence in our communities makes our neighborhoods more stable and secure

The Story of ICA

ICA (Intercongregation Communities Association) was founded in 1971 when two couples, aware of the mounting need in our community, began distributing food and clothing from a house in downtown Hopkins. Shortly after, “ICA Food Shelf” was incorporated by a coalition of five churches from Hopkins and Minnetonka. For many years, ICA bagged food for neighbors from an old white house on Williston Road. 

In 2007, ICA opened a wonderful facility with the support of St. David's Episcopal Parish and the community, allowing the addition of a warehouse and office space to accommodate increased need. Later, in 2014, ICA began serving our neighbors at 11588 K-Tel Drive in Minnetonka, which is right near the border of Hopkins. The new site was designed as a “choice” food shelf model. This means neighbors choose the food they want for their families, adding more dignity to their experience and ensuring higher usability of groceries. ICA’s central food shelf at K-Tel serves individuals by appointment during daytime, evening and weekend hours.

ICA’s facility on St. Davids Road continues to distribute emergency food bags, schedule community members for food appointments and provide office and warehouse space. Our mobile food shelf is successfully serving seniors in the community, where groceries are delivered to several low-income apartment buildings each month. ICA also provides home delivery to clients who are unable to visit us and do not reside at one of the mobile food shelf sites.

In January 2023, ICA rebranded their organizational logo and officially lost the “food shelf” moniker, while adding the tagline “Your Community Connectors.” The decision came as internal employment and housing programming continued to grow in size and scope, while food services became increasingly decentralized.

For example, ICA has started opening “market and resource centers” right inside local schools. Families are welcome to make an appointment to receive groceries from a fully-stocked food market, while ICA staff members are on hand to provide additional resources. Since opening the first location at Gatewood Elementary in 2021, ICA has since partnered with other area schools to open market and resource centers inside Alice Smith Elementary, Hopkins West Middle School and elsewhere.