The Interfaith Center’s mission is to reduce fear and prejudice among the people of the world’s religions. With more than one hundred active volunteers and over twenty partner congregations, the Center has become a vital part of the community.

The Interfaith Center bases much of its work on social science research by Robert Putnam’s book: American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. It states that if one has appreciative knowledge about a religion and a positive relationship with at least one person who belongs to that faith, it results in more favorable attitudes toward that faith and its community. As divisions in this country deepen, the Center believes that it is essential to create opportunities for connection, understanding, and compassion.

The Center hosts many community-building events throughout the year including Love Thy Neighbor, a program and international food festival, a Friendship Camp each summer for children grades 3-6, the Peace Across Faiths Meal that kicks off Peace Week in Central Arkansas, and is proud of the success of its Afghan Resettlement Project; a program that has helped to resettle 16 families from Afghanistan in Little Rock since 2021. The Interfaith Center is serious about living to the vision of a country where people of all faiths live and work together with respect and a shared commitment to the common good and believes it is possible to bridge divides and find common values.

One of the most unique things about The Interfaith Center is that there are only two paid staff members, however, they have a committed volunteer staff of more than 100 members of the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Baha’I, Unitarian, Universalist, Agnostic, and Atheist faiths. Members also are from a variety of diverse cultures, backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations.

or the past year, the war between Israel and Palestine has tested this community in many ways; especially the friendships between Muslims and Jewish members. However, the Interfaith Center has endured and continued to enlist these members.

The Center’s main focus at this time has been to revert to their mission in helping to reduce fear and prejudice on a local scale.

In the next year, The Interfaith Center plans to re-establish their teen youth group for high school aged members from diverse faiths and backgrounds meeting regularly to learn about relationship building, leadership, and community service. It also plans to establish an intern program with the Clinton School of Public Service in which it hopes to help shape the next generation of community leaders.