Community Engagement

St. Paul’s is committed to serving our Chattanooga community through partnerships with organizations doing meaningful work throughout the year. From volunteering our time and sharing our talents to donating resources and responding to community needs, these opportunities allow us to live out our gospel call to love our neighbors and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in the world.

  • Every month, this group selects a book that contributes to the conversation on social justice issues and meets to discuss it.

    When? The Fourth Sunday of every month at 12:00 pm.

    Where? In the Miller Conference Room.

    Contact Maureen Donnelly for more information.

    2026-27 Book Selection:

    August: Jane Addams: Spirit in Action, Louise W. Knight (Lynne Hodge)

    September:‍ ‍When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert (Shannon Mowrer)

    October: American Teenagers: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy, Nico Lang (Ellen Elam)

    November: We Survived the End of the World, Steven Charleston (Walt George)

    December: Book Exchange!

    January: The Other Wes Brown, Wes Brown (Pam Parsons)

    February: Sundown Towns, James Loewen (Doris LaMar)

    March: Culpability, Bruce Holsinger (Barbara Seals)

    April: The Year of Living Danishly, Helen Russell (Pam Canler)

    May: A Small Porch, Wendell Berry (Martha Anderson)

    June: Discussion on book selection for the coming year

  • St. Catherine’s Shelter at St. Paul’s operates year-round for up to eight homeless women in need of temporary housing who are enrolled in assistance programs coordinated by the Chatt Foundation. This provides a safe place for women to begin to make positive changes in their lives.

    You can support St. Catherine’s Shelter through:

    • Donation of household items: cleaning products, snacks, and linens

    • Preparing or picking up evening meals for residents.

    • Overnight hosting (women only) 

    Volunteer with St. Catherine’s by emailing Deanne Irvine.

  • The Chattanooga Area Food Bank brings nourishing food to the people of our region who have the need, and courage, to seek help. Working hand in hand with retailers, manufacturers, farmers, buying alliances and individual donors, our mission is to end hunger for every person in our region, today. 

    You can support the Food Bank through:

    • Office support

    • Donation sorting and packing

    • Food drives

    Volunteer with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank online or by calling (423) 622-1800

  • The CHATT Foundation’s mission is to meet the basic needs of hungry, homeless, and vulnerable people in our community, while offering them a clearer path to self-sufficiency. They serve three meals daily, as well as providing other services such as temporary shelter, clothing and counseling. 

    You can support the CHATT Foundation by volunteering for:

    • Meal service

    • Office assistance

    Donation organization

    A team from St. Paul’s serves lunch meals at the CHATT Foundation each Monday. To learn of other volunteer opportunities, email Maureen Donnelly.

  • Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga is a nonprofit housing organization working locally as well as in numerous communities across the country and in several foreign countries. Habitat works toward the vision where everyone has an affordable, decent  place to live by building and improving homes in partnership with community groups, individuals, and families.  A family that receives a Habitat home has fulfilled an obligation of contributing several hundred hours building on their home and other homes under construction, as well as attending required classes on home ownership. They then assume a zero percent mortgage rate upon taking possession of their own home. This process is often referred to as, “A hand up, not a hand out.”

    You can support Habitat through:   

    • Joining other St. Paul’s volunteers at a Build Day

    • Donating household items to their ReStore at 1201 Main Street

    St. Paul’s Habitat volunteers serve one Saturday each quarter at a build site; no special skills needed. To volunteer, contact Patricia Daniel. 

  • The mission of La Paz is to guide, connect and strengthen Chattanooga's Latino community through advocacy, education, and inclusion.  

    You can support La Paz through:

    • Translation/interpretation

    • Community Circles program, developing relationships with Latino families and individuals in your neighborhood

    • Providing childcare for women’s services and programming

    Volunteer with La Paz by calling (423) 624-8414 or visiting their website.

  • MetMin provides emergency financial assistance combined with stabilizing, wrap-around services to keep the crisis from recurring. MetMin offers individuals and families a bridge to continuing self-sufficiency, especially for those who have exhausted all other kinds of support.

    You can support MetMin through:

    • Snack drive and donations

    • Recycling transportation

    • Creating and donating children’s activity packs

    • Light remodeling assistance

     To volunteer, contact Deacon Suzanne Burch.

  • St. Paul’s is a community partner with Orchard Knob Elementary School and Orchard Knob Middle School, providing teachers, students, and their families with educational resources and social advocacy. 

    You can support Orchard Knob Schools through:

    • Volunteering at the mobile food pantry

    • Donating uniforms and classroom supplies

    • Mentoring and tutoring

    Volunteer by emailing Amy Arrowsmith.

  • Through our Outreach Grants ministry, St. Paul’s seeks to extend our mission of service by supporting organizations that make a meaningful impact in our community and beyond. The 2026 deadline for grant applications is September 1st; revised grant policies, guidelines and priorities will be posted following the Committee's spring meeting each year, so please bookmark this page for updates. Please note that awards typically do not exceed $2000 per annual grant cycle. You can learn more and access the grant application here.