In 1867, just prior to Confederation, nine parishioners of St. Paul’s Church founded the St. Paul’s Alms House of Industry for Girls, each donating 10 pounds sterling. Additional funds were raised through monetary gifts from St. Paul’s parishioners, door-to-door sales of baked goods, and very modest fees. A mortgage financed by Enos Collins through Collins Bank allowed the purchase of a house on Tower Road which is still in use. The Collins Bank forgave the interest each year. Girls aged 10 to 14 years old who were orphans or from indigent families were eligible. The house was supervised by a matron. The girls attended school and church and, later, found work, usually as domestic servants in carefully chosen ‘suitable’ homes.
St. Paul’s Alms House of Industry for Girls was incorporated in 1887 by an Act of the Legislature of Nova Scotia as a separate entity from St. Paul’s Church.  Later on, the name was shortened to “St. Paul’s Home for Girls”. Through the turn of the century, World War I and the Halifax Explosion the operation of St. Paul’s Home for Girls changed very little. Early in the C20, the organization received a significant gift of 600 acres of land in the back woods of Bedford. Through the 1940s and 1950s small lots were sold to raise funds. When the Bicentennial Highway was built some of the land was purchased by the province, providing considerable further revenue.
After World War II, St. Paul’s Home for Girls went through a number of changes. A number of operating styles were tried and abandoned. At one point, operations ceased completely for a time. The period from 1970 to 1995 brought many changes. Until 1972, the house on Tower Road was operated as a home for orphaned girls.  Then, on June 26, 1982, by an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature, the society’s name was changed to St. Paul’s Home better to reflect its goals. The objectives of the organization were redefined, and a more professional style of management was adopted. By this time St. Paul’s Home (SPH) had acquired significant capital strength and was in a position to purchase buildings in response to requests from groups who operated programs serving youth in need.
Currently, SPH owns nine houses (including the original Tower Road building) located in Halifax Regional Municipality, each of which is leased for $1.00 p.a. to, and operated by, independent charitable organizations dedicated to serving youth at risk. SPH also owns a church building in Spryfield, the upper level of which is leased to a Christian community church, and the lower level to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Halifax.
ISPH also provides grants to organizations supporting youth at risk and scholarships to students who would otherwise be unable to afford a university or community college education.