Share our spirit of welcome, unity, and simplicity.
Do you have an interest in living and workingwith people with disabilities? Do you have adesire to get to know yourself better? Or doyou want to contribute to nurturing new signsof hope in our world?
If so, opportunities abound at L’Arche USA foryou to help us build our growing network ofcommunities across the U.S., extending our values and vision along the way. Become anassistant. Volunteer in a local L’Arche community.Make a tax-deductible financial contribution toL’Arche USA or to a local community. Howeveryou are involved, you can make a differenceand form new, life-transforming friendships.
For more information on how you can share inthe mission of L’Arche, visit www.larcheusa.org.
“I believe that what we do here and how we livetogether matter, and not just to us, but to every-one who is desperately searching for a place tobelong, a place to have a home and a family anda community.”
—RACHEL KNOKE, ASSISTANT
OUR COMMUNITIES:L’Arche Clinton, The Arch (IA)L’Arche Blue Ridge Mountains (Lynchburg, VA)L’Arche Chicago (IL)L’Arche Cleveland (OH)L’Arche Erie (PA)L’Arche Greater Washington (DC)L’Arche Harbor House (Jacksonville, FL)L’Arche Heartland (Overland Park, KS)L’Arche Irenicon (Haverhill, MA)L’Arche Mobile (AL)L’Arche Nehalem (Portland, OR)L’Arche Noah Sealth (Seattle, WA)L’Arche Spokane (WA)L’Arche Syracuse (NY)L’Arche Tahoma Hope (Tacoma, WA)L’Arche Wavecrest (Orange, CA)
Bridging the distance.
L’Arche communities recognize the beautiful diversity of cultures and religions within our world.But we’re also acutely awareof the vast disparity in accessto material resources.
We are thus called to promote understanding andinterdependence among the
countries and communities of L’Arche. We’velaunched programs to encourage greater solidarityand friendship between the communities ofL’Arche in the Americas. Through personal visits,assistant exchanges, meetings, prayer, and financialsupport, L’Arche communities in North Americaand in Latin America and the Caribbean are growing in mutual understanding and relationship.We also seek to build relationships with otherorganizations that work to promote justice andunity in our world.
“Community is notbuilt upon heroicactions, but ratherupon the loveshown in the littlethings of dailylife.”
—JEAN VANIER, FOUNDER OF L’ARCHE
Building communitiesof faith and friendshipwith people withintellectual and developmental disabilities
L’Arche USA1130 SW Morrison St.Suite 230Portland, Oregon 97205Phone: (503) 282-6231 Fax: (503) 249-9264 Email: [email protected] www.larcheusa.org
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Share&our&spirit&of&welcome,&&
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make&a&taxFdeduc<ble&financial&contribu<on&to&
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However&you&are&involved,&you&can&make&a&
difference&and&form&new,&lifeFtransforming&
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For&more&informa<on&on&how&you&can&share&in&
the&mission&of&L’Arche,&please&visit&
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“Every&child,&every&person&needs&to&know&that&
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Jean&Vanier,&Founder&of&L’Arche,&Becoming)Human)
L’Arche(Noah(Sealth(of(Sea0le(P.O.(Box(22023,(Sea0le,(WA(98122(Phone:((206)(325(9434(Fax:((206)(568(0367(
Please(visit(us(on(the(web(at:(www.larchesea0le.org(
L’Arche(Noah(Sealth(of(Sea0le(P.O.(Box(22023,(Sea0le,(WA(98122(Phone:((206)(325(9434(Fax:((206)(568(0367(
Please(visit(us(on(the(web(at:(www.larchesea0le.org(
L’Arche(Noah(Sealth(of(Sea0le(
Crea2ng(home(and(building(a(community(of(faith(and(
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since(1975.((
Noah House by Bill Herb
TextTextTextText
Mutual relationships and trust in God are at theheart of every L’Arche community. The call to welcome God’s love for ourselves and to joyfully share it with others inspires everythingwe do.
In L’Arche, vulnerability and imperfection arenot viewed as obstacles, but rather catalysts to strong, nurturing relationships. L’Arche communities reflect the reality that personswith disabilities often possess inherent qualitiesof welcome, wonderment, spirituality, andfriendship.
An extraordinary concept in our fast-paced and consumer-driven society, L’Arche believesthat these qualities can make people with a disability our true teachers about what is mostimportant in life: to love and to be loved.
L’Arche: Celebrating the gifts of all people.
In 1963, philosopher and spiritual leader JeanVanier visited a friend who was working as achaplain at small French institution for menwith intellectual and developmental disabilities.In this and other larger institutions, Vanier witnessed a deep hunger for friendship amongthe men and women residing there, shut awayfrom society.
Vanier was so moved by these experiencesthat, in 1964, he bought a house in a small village and invited two men from institutionsto live with him. The house was namedL’Arche, which means “the ark” in French and embodies a place of belonging and hope,grounded in faith and trust in God.
Since then, L’Arche has grown into an international movement. With more than 135communities in 36 countries, individuals withintellectual and developmental disabilities and those without disabilities live and worktogether. These remarkable communities aresigns of hope where:
! People are welcomed, celebrated, andencouraged to grow as human beings;
! People are transformed through mutualfriendship with others; and
! Justice, compassion and faith are practiced in the smallest acts of daily living.
THE MISSION OF L’ARCHE IS:
! To make known the gifts ofpeople with developmental disabilities, revealed throughmutually transforming relationships;
! To foster community that isinspired by the core values in our founding story andresponds to the changingneeds of our members; and
! To engage in our diverse cultures, working togethertoward a more human society.
LIEVE
N VA
N KE
ER
Living essential values of the heart.
L’Arche first came to the United States in 1972with the opening of a L’Arche home in Erie,Pennsylvania. As part of the InternationalFederation of L’Arche Communities, L’Arche USAhas now grown to 16 communities across thecountry, with others in development. In each ofthese communities, made up of family-like homesand work or day programs, core members—peoplewith intellectual and developmental disabilities—live side-by-side with volunteer assistants, enjoyinga life that is both simple and transforming.
“When we first visited a L’Arche community, wewent with the idea that we might do somethingfor L’Arche. What we discovered was thatL’Arche did something for us. In one afternoonwe learned more about love, acceptance,inclusiveness, reciprocity, and vulnerability than we had ever learned in the ‘real world.’”
—DARCY WEIR, FRIEND AND VOLUNTEER
L'Arche(Noah(Sealth(of(Sea0le,(501(©(3a(non8profit(organiza>on,(is(part(of(the(Interna>onal(Federa>on(of(L'Arche(communi>es.(((L'Arche(Sea0le(is(founded(and(rooted(in(Catholicism,(yet(its(emphasis(is(ecumenical(and(interreligious.((Our(core(members((from(the(French(coeur(meaning(heart,(because(people(with(developmental(disabili>es(are(at(the(heart(of(community)(and(the(assistants(who(care(for(them(come(from(various(parts(of(the(world,(from(different(socio8economic(and(ethnic(backgrounds(and(various(religious(affilia>ons,(and(various(ethnic(backgrounds.((We(currently(serve(13(core(members(residen>ally(and,(depending(on(the(day,(between(4(and(7(core(members(in(our(candle(making(Ac>vity(Center.!
L’Arche:)Celebra.ng)the)gi3s)of)all)people.))In)1963,philosopher)and)spiritual)leader)Jean)Vanier)visited)a)friend)who)was)working)as)a)chaplain)at)small)French)ins.tu.on)for)men)with)intellectual)and)developmental)disabili.es.)In)this)and)other)larger)ins.tu.ons,)Vanier)witnessed)a)deep)hunger)for)friendship)among)the)men)and)women)residing)there,)shut)away)from)society.)Vanier)was)so)moved)by)these)experiences)that,)in)1964,he)bought)a)house)in)a)small)village)and)invited)two)men)from)ins.tu.ons)to)live)with)him.)The)house)was)named)L’Arche,)which)means)“the)ark”)in)French)and)embodies)a)place)of)belonging)and)hope,)grounded)in)faith)and)trust)in)God.)Since)then,)L’Arche)has)grown)into)an)interna.onal)movement.)With)more)than)137)communi.es)in)40)countries,)individuals)with)intellectual)and)developmental)disabili.es)and)those)without)disabili.es)live)and)work)together.)These)communi.es)are)signs)of)hope)where:)�People)are)welcomed,)celebrated,)and)encouraged)to)grow)as)human)beings;)�People)are)transformed)through)mutual)friendships;)and)�Jus.ce,)compassion)and)faith)are)prac.ced)in)the)small)acts)of)daily)living.!
L'Arche(Noah(Sealth(of(Sea0le((is(a(501(©(3(non9profit(organiza>on(and(a(member((of(the(Interna>onal(Federa>on(of(L'Arche(communi>es.(Presently(there(are(137(L'Arche(communi>es(in(40(different(countries(around(the(world.((
(L'Arche(Sea0le(is(founded(and(rooted(in(Catholicism,(while(its(current(emphasis(and(expression((is(ecumenical(and(interreligious.((
Our(core(members((from(the(French(coeur(meaning(heart,(because(people(with(a(developmental(disability(are(at(the(heart(of(community)(and(the(assistants(who(care(for(them(come(from(various(parts(of(the(world,(from(different(socio9economic(and(ethnic(backgrounds(and(various(religious(affilia>ons,(and(ethnic(backgrounds.(((
We(currently(serve(13(core(members(residen>ally(and,(depending(on(the(day,(between(4(to(8(core(members(in(the(Ac>vity(Center.!
