For the past 35 years, Wayzata resident LaDonna Hoy has worked day in and day out to help people lift themselves out of poverty. This grandmother of 13 is a founder and the executive director of Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP), a Plymouth-based nonprofit that provides both emergency and long-term support for individuals and families living in Hamel, Long Lake, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Plymouth and Wayzata. “The people we see [at IOCP] each day whose lives have gotten so stressful are the people who God has placed in our path,” Hoy says. “And we need to figure it out and do what needs to get done to make their lives better.”
IOCP began in 1979 at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Wayzata, where Hoy worked in a newly created position as director of pastoral ministries. Hoy responded to two of the congregation’s goals: to strengthen ecumenical ties with other communities of faith, and to encourage lay ministry, both within and outside of their walls. Together with representatives of eight other local churches, Hoy mulled over the question: What is the role of the local church in addressing human need? Though Hoy and the other representatives had some idea of need from within their walls, they consulted public safety workers, social service providers, school district professionals, civic groups, health care professionals and mental health providers to better understand the needs of the community at large.
“What we learned early on,” Hoy says, “was that transportation was a key barrier to service delivery. We learned from the school district, for example, that the adult English language learner and GED programs were beautifully staffed and had a wonderful program, but they didn’t have funds for child care or transportation at the time, so some of the people who needed those services the most couldn’t get there.”
So began the Rides program, one of IOCP’s first initiatives. Other initiatives to address community needs soon followed. A food and clothing shelf was added to the basement of St. Bart’s, and with the help of Hennepin County, financial services for housing, child care, transportation and employment were offered. The organization eventually outgrew its space at St. Bart’s, relocating to a 40,000-square-foot facility in Plymouth in 2011. The new facility boasts an expanded food shelf and resale shop, and on-site services from IOCP partners Hennepin County, Wayzata Community Education, Peppermint Fence West, a program of Wayzata schools. More than 1,600 volunteers staff an extensive menu of programs and services: employment training, emergency housing assistance, a food shelf, homework clubs, art classes, summer camps for kids, parenting groups and much more.
Most of IOCP’s success has been due to the community partnerships it has forged over the years. From figuring out community needs to delivery of services to navigating the pitfalls of nonprofit work, countless individuals have donated their time and expertise to guide IOCP along the way. But many would argue Hoy’s leadership has been equally crucial to the success of IOCP.
Tom Shaver, CEO of Opus Development, has been an IOCP board member for three years, and marvels at Hoy’s leadership. “LaDonna just has the extraordinary ability to lead by example,” Shaver says. “She lives and breathes Interfaith, and as a result, breeds further involvement from the community.”
Peg Rasmussen, owner of Peg’s Countryside Café in Hamel, has been involved with IOCP for more than 20 years, spending roughly nine of those years on the board. “Why did I want to be on the board?” Rasmussen asks. “Well, because of LaDonna.” She explains that Hoy offers many life lessons to those who work with her, inspiring people to reevaluate their priorities. Through working with Hoy, Rasmussen realized, “I’m not just here to run a restaurant; I’m not just here to make money.”
Hoy sums up her philosophy, which has inspired many and guided IOCP throughout its 35-year history: “I believe this is what we’re all called to do, to take care of one another, and it’s possible. You just have to find the good folks to help you get there.”
