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!
MAI — “Muslim Alliance of Indiana highlights local business”
The Muslim Alliance of Indiana wants to give Muslim-owned businesses a chance in the spotlight.
Earth Charter — “Evansville will host annual statewide Climate Leadership Summit”
Elected officials and community leaders from across Indiana will visit Evansville this year for an annual leadership summit on climate change.
Overdose Lifeline — “Happy first anniversary, United Council on Opioids!”
Since Jan. 25, 2019, more than 70 community members have participated in creating solutions to the local substance abuse crisis. The UCO has developed partnerships with agencies across the region.
Sierra Club — “National Consumer, Environmental Groups Urge Indiana Lawmakers To Reject Coal Bailout Bill”
“This bill is nothing but a giveaway to the coal industry,” said Wendy Bredhold, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Indiana. “Legislators should be focused on how to support communities impacted by coal plant retirements instead of trying to slow the transition to clean energy at the expense of all Hoosiers.”
Women4Change — “Contact legislators regarding Indiana’s gender pay gap”
The gender pay gap is a complex problem, touching on a variety of issues such as paid family leave, pregnancy accommodations, and childcare accessibility. Women4Change stands with Hoosier women by advocating for progress in all of these areas.
Overdose Lifeline — “Exhibit on substance abuse opens Saturday at Indiana State Museum”
An exhibit dedicated to educating people on the drug epidemic in Indiana will open to the public Saturday at the Indiana State Museum.
Sierra Club — “The controversial ‘coal bailout’ bill could raise your rates. Here’s what you should know”
Ohio’s provides subsidies for a few coal and nuclear plants around the state, while also reducing requirements that utilities meet benchmarks for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Wyoming’s requires utilities to try to sell their coal plants before being able to close, but no one is wanting to buy them, according to Jeremy Fisher, an analyst in Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program.
Sierra Club — “Controversial coal bill passes off the House floor, heads to Indiana Senate”
“The controversial Indiana bill that could delay closing coal plants and raise rates for customers is still alive and on its way to the Senate.”
Women4Change — “Letter: Indiana’s sex crime statute needs reform”
Currently, Indiana does not have a legal definition. In very basic terms, in our state, sex without consent is not a crime unless there is force, the threat of force or incapacitation.
Sierra Club — “Indiana utilities would be prevented from shutting down coal-fired plants under new bill”
“This bill is bad for energy consumers, bad for our air and water, and bad for climate progress at a time when we need to accelerate the clean energy transition, not slow it down,” said Wendy Bredhold, senior representative for the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal Campaign” in Indiana and Kentucky.
Covering Kids & Families — “ACA enrollment slips in Indiana”
She said Covering Kids and Families has developed “more of a known presence” in northeast Indiana.
CIC — “Letters: Speak out against rising anti-Semitism, hate speech, bigotry”
“All faith traditions embrace the idea of peace,” said David Shaheed, Center for Interfaith Cooperation’s board chair. “None of us can be at peace if members of other faiths are living in fear of threats and attacks.”
Sierra Club — “Indiana utility to retire 2 of 4 remaining coal-fired units”
“It’s good that IPL is moving to get rid of two units at this outdated, massive Super Polluter, but we can’t tiptoe our way out of the climate crisis,” Wendy Bredhold, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Indian
OBAT Helpers — “Franciscan team provides medical care to refugee camp”
Since October 2017, OBAT Helpers has been working inside the camp to help improve access to health care, education and economic empowerment to the Rohingya population. OBAT Helpers is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit founded to care for refugees in Bangladesh.
Sierra Club — “Environmental groups want U.S. Steel to pay bigger fine for 2017 chemical spill”
Lake Michigan and all the Great Lakes are a treasured resource and drinking-water source and deserve the highest level of protection, Alliance for the Great Lakes president Joel Brammeier said in discussing the letter.
OBAT Helpers & JCRC — “Local doctors assist Rohingya people in crisis in Bangladesh as alleged genocide case moves forward”
If you would like to get involved with the work OBAT is doing here or abroad, please visit obathelpers.org to learn more.
Peace Center for Reconciliation and Forgiveness — “Rwandan genocide survivor addresses Watchung Hills students”
Kalima said he learned that the common denominator between the great advocates of forgiveness and reconciliation down through the ages, including Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa in India, and Nelson Mandela in South Africa was: They all forgave.
CHIP — “‘Opportunity to reflect’: Service honors 58 homeless who died in Marion County in 2019”
“I think it’s a real opportunity to reflect as a community on the stark realities and challenges people experiencing homelessness are facing,” Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, the coalition’s executive director, told IndyStar. “And for many, that becomes a real matter of life and death.”
CHIP — “Plan to house homeless off to slow start”
Additionally, lining up those support services for the developments—an imperative piece of permanent supportive housing—can be challenging, said Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, executive director of CHIP. Doing so requires entities that might not have previously worked together—developers, property managers and homeless service providers—to form collaborative relationships.
CHIP — “Youth homelessness rising in Indianapolis and there are laws in place keeping them from shelters”
The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention says, last year 183 people under the age of 25 were experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis.
CHIP — “Wheeler Mission asks for coat donations, resources for those struggling in cold”
The Handbook of Help, published by the the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention, lists 11 emergency shelters and 12 clothing pantries around Indianapolis.
Come & visit
Indiana Interchurch Center
1100 W. 42nd Street
Indianapolis IN 46208
Phone:
(317) 923-3617
Email:
iic@indianainterchurch.org