Originally from Cedar Rapids, Rod spent much of his career in restaurant management, beginning in food service at 16 and stepping into leadership by 20. Over the years, he worked with Heart of America restaurants, including Thunder Bay Grill and Iowa…
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Since launching this summer, the partnership between St. Paul and Tapestry Farms has flourished beyond expectations. What began as monthly deliveries of culturally appropriate food and hygiene items to refugee families has grown into something deeper…
A deeper chapter in a meaningful partnership is about to unfold. This summer, St. Paul is expanding its relationship with Tapestry Farms, a Quad-Cities nonprofit dedicated to walking alongside refugees and strengthening access to resources in this co…
by St. Paul member Becky Wiese 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of the celebration of Earth Day. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, and was designed as a national “teach-in,” scheduled to allow the greatest student participation between f…
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In the Library Commons, bright circles carry messages of need and hope from the Food Oasis. What is a food desert or a food oasis? A food desert is an area that has limited access to food that is plentiful, affordable, or nutritious especially fresh…
Nearly 50 years ago, the St. Paul Outdoor Ministry Center opened in Maquoketa, Iowa. The space quickly turned from farmland into a working campsite. Cabins sprouted up, trails emerged, and a summer program was created. In 1982, St. Paul raised money…
Megan Strusz, St. Paul member and nursing student at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, made it her mission to bring her nursing talents to communities in Costa Rica with limited access to healthcare. Megan knew she wanted to study abroad…
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St. Paul quilters are helping foster kids find a piece of comfort during a time of transition. Fostering Crossroads, a local non-profit that provides placement bags when a child is placed into foster care, put out a request on Facebook. “Blanket dona…
What Dr. Jim O’Connell thought would be just one year of his life turned into his life’s work. Tracy Kidder, in his book Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People, takes readers into the life of Dr. O’Conn…
St. Paul and the Environmental Awareness Team work together to be good stewards by taking minimally from the Earth, making wise choices, and considering consequences. ▶ Recycling and waste reduction: note those large silver and blue bins throughout t…
This free seminar, sponsored by National Alliance on Mental Illness through St. Paul, is led by trained people with lived experience of supporting a family member with a mental health condition. They will cover these topics: ■ Understanding diagnoses…
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When I was young, I recall piling in the old Plymouth with my Mom, Dad and brothers for a drive to see the Christmas lights in town. That was a thrill – and I still love seeing the beauty of lights at this most wonderful time of year. I have come to…