A creative, welcoming and diverse place for nonprofits in Indianapolis
Indiana Interchurch Center
About the Interchurch Center & Community
The Indiana Interchurch Center is much more than a building. It’s a community of nonprofit organizations working to solve the most urgent challenges we face at home and abroad. The Interchurch Center provides offices where denomination administrative headquarters and nonprofits develop strategies and implementation plans. More importantly, it offers a space where these the broader community can engage in learning and conversing, service and advocacy. We invite you to visit the Interchurch Center, and participate in events that interest you.
A passion for social change and justice
Who are some of the members of the Interchurch Community and what do they care about?
Denominations. The Interchurch Center houses the administrative headquarters of several denomination: The United Church of Christ, Indiana-Kentucky Conference; the Christian Church in Indiana (Disciples of Christ); the Synod of Lincoln Trails (Presbyterian Church USA in Indiana and Illinois), the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis; the Whitewater Valley Presbytery; and the American Baptist Churches of Greater Indianapolis. Other religious groups call the Center home. The St. Mary of Magdala Catholic Community is one of the few Catholic churches in the world that celebrates mass with a Womanpriest.
Health and wellness. The Minority Health Coalition of Marion County and the Indiana Rural Health Association extend health services to the most marginalized populations. Even the health of animals are addressed: Spay and Neuter Services of Indiana helps low-income families afford to spay their pets.
Undocumented immigrants. The Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance is one of the state's best known groups protecting the rights of "Dreamers" and other undocumented Hoosiers.
Homeless people. The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Protection (CHIP) is Central Indiana's main organization analyzing homelessness and building a blueprint to end it.
Environmental protection. Three of Indiana's leading environmental organizations call the Interchurch Center home: the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club, Earth Charter Indiana and Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light. The Hoosier Environmental Council offers monthly environmental advocate training at the IIC.
Opioid crisis. Overdose Lifeline has emerged as one of the country's most influential organizations fighting drug overdose.
Interfaith engagement. The Center for Interfaith Cooperation is one of the Midwest's primary groups promoting inter-religious education, dialogue and service. The Niagara Foundation organizes monthly interfaith conversations and several interfaith iftars at the Interchurch Center every Ramadan. The Jewish Community Relations Council and the Muslim Alliance of Indiana are the main groups promoting interfaith cooperation for the Jewish and Muslim communities.
Refugees in Indiana and around the world. OBAT Helpers is one of the only NGOs in the world working in the camps of the Rohingya in Bangladesh. The Peace Center for Forgiveness and Reconciliation helps Congolese refugees integrate into Hoosier society.
Civic renewal. Since January of 2016, Women4Change Indiana has become one of the state's main groups promoting greater engagement for women in politics, and helping Hoosiers more broadly become more active and effective citizens.
Human and civil rights. The Center for Interfaith Cooperation, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Muslim Alliance of Indiana defend the rights to worship of all Hoosiers. Gender Nexus advocates for the rights of trans-persons. The Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance promotes the rights of undocumented immigrants. The American Friends Service Committee passionately calls for the respect of human rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
Marginalized children. In addition to defending "Dreamers," the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance raises funds for economically disadvantaged immigrants to attend college. Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) works with the families of unsighted young children. Watch Club and the Center for Interfaith Cooperation organized an intercultural Summer Youth Camp at IIC. The Waza Alliance for Quality Education provides training for teachers in the Democratic of Congo.
Food insecurity. Faith Hope and Love supports and trains missional food pantries across the city.
24 Hr Access
Mail Service, UPS, FedEx On-Site
Fiber-Optic
Internet Connectivity
HD Projectors
An inclusive and welcoming culture
2 Large Meeting Rooms
4 more intimate conference rooms
Ample free parking
Easy Bus Access
Natural Habitat Certification
Energy management and solar panels
On-Site Management
Central Location close to the IMA, CTS & Butler
On-site Art Gallery
24-Hour Camera Surveillance
Fully Accessible to all
Come to the Interchurch Center and be inspired!
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Provide safe stoves to Darfuri refugees, save a woman’s life
Learn more12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Prevention as Intervention: Protective Factors and Sustained Recovery
Learn more
Interchurch Community — “The Politics of Hummus: Jewish Voice For Peace and Allies Create Alternative Interfaith Spaces”
“We took that back to the committee, and we looked at it and agreed [it was problematic],” says Wiles. The JCRC and the Muslim Alliance of Indiana also concurred that the suggested film was problematic, and a different film was chosen.
Sierra Club — “Indiana Has ‘A Lot To Lose’ With Poor Ohio River Quality”
Water quality along Indiana’s southern border could be impacted by a long-awaited vote expected this week.
Overdose Lifeline — “Indy coffee shop is the newest place to offer life-saving drug naloxone”
“Our buddy, Justin Phillips over at Overdose Lifeline, lost her son Aaron Sims to an opioid overdose, and wrote this really, awesome piece of legislation that made it so everyone in the state of Indiana can access naloxone”
CHIP — “Indy counts its homeless population every year. 2019’s happened during a polar vortex”
“I can also tell you that some of the teams that went to the more established camps across the city did find people unsheltered that were hunkered down that night and did not go in,” Haring-Cozzi said. “So, even as frigid as it was, there were individuals found unsheltered that remained so on Wednesday night.”
CHIP — “IBJ Podcast: Deaths are increasing among Indy’s homeless population. What can be done?”
That was the largest number of deaths recorded by CHIP since it started tracking figures more than a decade ago, and it represented a 20 percent increase from 2017. Illness, injury, homicides and drug overdoses contributed to the number.
CHIP — “CICF, Hogsett seek $4M fund to provide wraparound services to formerly homeless”
Hayleigh Colombo, Indianapolis Business Journal, January 31 2019 The Central Indiana Community…
Women4Change, Earth Charter — Statehouse Update: Redistricting
This session, several bills have been introduced in an attempt to introduce some measure of independence from the political whims of the party in the power in choosing their own voters.
CHIP — “Here’s how you can help an unsheltered homeless person during extreme cold”
There were about 1,700 homeless individuals living in Indianapolis at the beginning of 2018, according to an annual point-in-time count conducted by the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention.
CHIP — “Trying to answer ‘How many homeless people live in Indianapolis?'”
Members of the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) and the Professional Blended Street Outreach will try to identify the number of homeless people in Marion County. The count will include people who are unsheltered or sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing or safe havens.
This bill could revise a controversial Indiana solar power law
A local legislator is backing an Indiana senate bill to require utilities to pay homeowners and others full retail price for solar energy uploaded to the grid.
Indiana Interchurch Center, AFSC — “NUVO Priorities 2019: Examining Arts More Closely”
For example, at the Indiana Interchurch Center a number of advocacy organizations are eager to hold hands and sing “Kum bay ya” around topics like hate crimes legislation. What happens, though, when certain groups have irreconcilable differences over certain issues? Like, say the international Boycott Divest Sanction movement against Israel?
Earth Charter, Women4Change — “Lawmakers urged to enact redistricting commission reform bill”
Organizations which have signed a letter to legislative leaders include … Women4Change Indiana Action Fund… , Earth Charter Indiana, Indiana
JCRC — “SENIOR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ATTEND THIRD ANNUAL PEOPLE’S INAUGURATION”
David Sklar, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council Director of Government Affairs, presented the keynote addressed. He explained how Indiana is one of five states in the United States that does not have a hate crimes law in effect.
Earth Charter — “Gary host second Youth Environmental Summit”
Members of Youth Power Indiana and Earth Charter Indiana were present and shared stories of young leaders around the globe who are advocating for more urgent government action against climate change.
CHIP — Indianapolis grappling with increase in deaths among homeless population”
Haring-Cozzi said she believes city efforts to shut down homeless camps have made homeless people more visible, “becoming targets for others to do harm to them.”
CHIP — Indianapolis Warming Shelters: Keep Family, Pets Out Of The Cold
Rebecca Bream, Patch, January 23, 2019 Details of homeless shelters and warming…
JCRC — “IRT performs ‘Anne Frank’”
The 6 p.m. performance is a fifth annual Community Night on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Through partnership with the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, there will be a post-show candle-lighting ceremony and readings from Frank’s diary.
JCRC — “‘Repugnant image’: Indiana school officials investigate soccer team appearing to give Nazi salutes”
In a post on its Facebook page, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council said it believes the Zionsville school district “appreciates the gravity of this situation and will use this hurtful act as an opportunity for ongoing education and engagement.”
JCRC —”Zionsville investigates after students appear to perform Nazi salute in ‘sickening’ photo”
Lindsey Mintz, the executive director of the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, said though anti-Semitic incidents are starting to happen more frequently, she appreciates Zionsville Community Schools’ response to the photo so far. The organization added on Facebook that it will be working with the district.
JCRC — “Coalition launches to pressure lawmakers to pass hate crime law”
“I think there’s always concern when you’re talking about legislation,” David Sklar said, with the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council. “We know we’re in for a long road of discussions.”
CHIP — “You’ll soon pay to park at meters in Indianapolis until 11 p.m.”
The city wants to launch a new employment program for people who panhandle or sleep outside; spend $150,000 on rental assistance for recipients of housing vouchers; and support services offered by the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention, such as help with past-due utility bills.
Come & visit
Indiana Interchurch Center
1100 W. 42nd Street
Indianapolis IN 46208
Phone:
(317) 923-3617
Email:
iic@indianainterchurch.org