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L'Arche is an international network of faith-based communities centered around people who have developmental disabilities (or learning disabilities as they are known in the UK). L'Arche communities typically include homes and day programs. L'Arche was founded in 1964 when Jean Vanier, the son of Canadian Governor General Georges Vanier and Pauline Vanier, welcomed two men with disabilities into his home in the town of Trosly-Breuil, France.

The name “L’Arche” is French for "The Ark", as in “Noah’s Ark”. L’Arche is now a world-wide organization welcoming people from many different faith traditions, as well as people who have no formal affiliation with any particular faith tradition.

In 1964, through his friendship with a Dominican priest, Father Thomas Philippe, Jean Vanier became aware of the plight of thousands of people institutionalized with developmental disabilities. Jean Vanier felt led by God to invite two men, Raphael Simi and Philippe Seux, to leave the institutions where they resided and share their lives with him in a real home in Trosly-Breuil, France. He named their home L'Arche. From this original community in France, 130 other communities have been founded throughout the world in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America.

The first community in Canada was founded in 1969 in Richmond Hill near Toronto, Ontario. The first community in the UK was founded in 1973 in Barfrestone, Kent.

Although L'Arche communities are found in many different cultures and reflect the ethnic and religious composition of the locales in which they exist, they share a common philosophy and approach. People with developmental disabilities and those who assist them live and work together to create homes. The L'Arche Charter says, "In a divided world, l'Arche wants to be a sign of hope. Its communities, founded on covenant relationships between people of differing intellectual capacity, social origin, religion and culture, seek to be signs of unity, faithfulness and reconciliation." The Charter further outlines the objectives, the principles and the identity of l’Arche. All the Communities of the International Federation are committed to living these principles.

Fundraising efforts

The Mobile, Alabama chapter of L'Arche became involved with a nationwide fund raising project called "Fiddy2", in which Dane Rauschenberg ran one marathon each weekend during 2006, with the goal of raising funds for the local chapter, which noted that "the money raised by Dane’s efforts will help us reach this goal" of rasing funds for the organization.

References

1. Boyle, Tom. "Weekend warrior: Titusville native Dane Rauschenberg has embarked on an odyssey of completing one marathon a week for ‘fiddy2’ straight weeks", The Titusville Herald, February 21, 2006. Accessed December 31, 2007. "Rauschenberg decided to take on the challenge of running a marathon each week for a year and coordinating Fiddy2 as an organization in April 2005. His Web site — fiddy2.org — seeks sponsorship and donations in addition to raising awareness for L’Arche-Mobile. In return, the federation is happy to work with Rauschenberg toward his goal. “Since our community relies on over one-third of its income from donations, the money raised by Dane’s efforts will help us reach this goal,” said Marty O’ Malley of L’Arche-Mobile. “The mission and goal of L’Arche is a vital message for our world today, and we are greateful that Dane is willing to share this with others.”"

External links

• L'Arche International
• L'Arche Canada
• L'Arche Chicago
• Podcast of American Public Radio's Speaking of Faith episode about L'Arche
• L'Arche Daybreak - Richmond Hill, Ontario

• Disability organizations
• Religious service organizations
• Non-profit organizations