A Yes Makes Belonging Possible
Sometimes belonging begins with a single visit.
Nearly two years ago, Esther joined us for the house blessing of our first L’Arche home. She came to celebrate a milestone, but something about the community stayed with her. What began as a visit slowly became a relationship.
Over the months that followed, Esther continued to find her way back to L’Arche. Her sons volunteered to help with yardwork, caring for the home where adults with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities share daily life with assistants. In June, her family joined us for the Run, Walk, & Roll, celebrating a community where everyone has a place. With each visit, the connection grew a little deeper.
Then Esther learned about a different kind of need.
It takes approximately $33,000 each month to provide the staffing, care, transportation, programs, and support that make L’Arche home. Medicaid funding and resident fees cover much of that cost, but they do not fully fund the relationships that define our community. That leaves an approximately $8,000 funding gap each month.
When Esther heard about that need, she responded.
She became L’Arche North Carolina’s very first Belonging Ambassador by funding an entire month of that operating gap. Her gift helps ensure that this home continues to be a place where people are known by name, where friendships are nurtured, where meals are shared, where laughter fills the kitchen, and where every person is recognized for the gifts they bring.
Belonging is not built through extraordinary moments alone. It is cultivated through people who keep saying yes.
Yes to showing up.
Yes to serving.
Yes to helping a community flourish.
Esther’s generosity reminds us that a community of belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It is built by ordinary people who choose to show up for one another.
Her story began with attending a house blessing.
Today, because she said yes, an entire month of belonging is possible.
We are deeply grateful that Esther became our very first Belonging Ambassador, and we hope her story inspires others to discover the joy of making belonging possible for someone else.
Could You Become a Belonging Ambassador?
Like Esther, your journey does not have to begin with a major gift. It begins with saying yes to a community where every person is welcomed, needed, and belongs.
If you would like to become a Belonging Ambassador or learn more about how you, your family, your read more
Disability Pride Month – celebrate all year!
As Disability Pride Month comes to an end, we want to thank you for celebrating with us. This month has highlighted the unique gifts and contributions of individuals with disabilities, and we are grateful for your support.
In case you missed it: Sundaes on Sunday Recap
What a sweet success! Our Sundaes on Sunday event was filled with joy, laughter, and community spirit.
House Update: The renovations on the house will be completed this week!
Friends, I am so excited! The renovations on the house will be completed this week! The accessible bathroom is beautiful. The new wider entrance to the kitchen and the large electric stove are wonderful. The basement bedrooms have lovely new floors, and more! The only thing that is left is painting. As the ceilings were scraped, re-mudded, and painted during the professional asbestos abatement process, this left a large white trim around many of the rooms. Therefore, we are painting with the help of volunteers. As I walk around the L'Arche house and see the updates, I am filled with joy knowing that everyone, regardless of ability, will be able to enter the home and use the facilities. Prior these renovations, if someone used mobility aids or a wheelchair, they would have needed to be carried up the stairs into the home and into the bathroom when they needed to use it. However, with your generous support, we can now say that everyone is welcome and belongs at L'Arche NC! Thank you for making this possible. We are now in the home stretch (pun intended) of welcoming our first Core Members read more
Rofida’s Trip to L’Arche GWDC – A Life Changing Impact
When I visited L’Arche GWDC (Greater Washington D.C.), I hadn’t expected to find my life’s calling. In fact, I hadn’t expected to see L’Arche GWDC at all. A string of coincidences led me there, starting with my trip to Washington D.C, organized by Johnson Service Corps (JSC), the organization that has connected me to L’Arche NC this year for a year of service. As part of JSC, this year I’ve gone on several trips to explore spiritual understandings, and at every one I’ve been asked to introduce myself - names, pronouns, hometown, and job description. And nearly every time, I’ve had to explain what L’Arche NC was. But, my trip to Washington D.C. was different. As soon as I mentioned L’Arche, our host gasped. “L’Arche?” she asked, giving me no time to reply. “That’s great! I work with L’Arche.” From there, the introductions derailed; she and I swapped excited smiles and stories. I don’t have the words to describe how happy I felt. It wasn’t just a matter of being recognized; it was knowing that there were people who believed in the same mission and not only that read more
Exciting Opportunities to Share Life at L’Arche NC!
We are thrilled to high-light two heartwarming new programs that are spreading joy and making a difference in our community! Jam Together: Our monthly musical gatherings are more than just music – they're moments of healing and connection. Recently, one participant shared that amidst a challenging time, our rendition of "Every little thing is gonna be alright" was like "balm for their soul". Join us for Jam Together and experience the power of music to uplift spirits and bring people together. Serve Together: Making an impact while fostering inclusion is at the heart of Serve Together. Many times, people with disabilities are treated as a "service project." At Serve Together, EVERYONE has an opportunity to participate in service. One parent proudly shared that it was her adult child's first service project. Moments like these inspire us to continue creating opportunities for everyone to contribute and belong. Join us for our weekly events and leave with a little more joy in your heart. For more information and to stay updated on our upcoming events, check out our events page. Together, let's spread love, joy, and inclusion! Live At L'Arche - Now read more
Construction Update
Dear L'Arche North Carolina Community, I hope this post update finds you well. I wanted to provide you with an update on the ongoing renovations at our house. As with any renovation project, we've experienced a mix of wins and challenges along the way. I'm grateful for the work we have accomplished through donations and volunteer work. One significant setback we faced was the unexpected departure of our first General Contractor. This, unfortunately, delayed the start of our major renovation projects. While we didn't get to start the accessible bathroom project as early as anticipated, I believe it was a blessing in disguise as we now have a fantastic General Contractor, Revel Build Co. On a positive note, we recently received some good news from the Durham Neighborhood Improvements Inspector. They agreed that we did not need to cut out larger windows in the basement bedrooms as we initially anticipated. This decision has saved us thousands of dollars. Instead, we will install cubby-storage benches under the windows to allow for safe egress. However, as we began the renovation, we encountered an unforeseen obstacle: asbestos materials in the house, read more
Everyone can find community at L’Arche
By Beverly Christian, Operations Manager During a recent "Move Together" event, our community went on a journey to the park for a spirited scavenger hunt. During the walk, I struck up a conversation with one of our community members and her dedicated Support Provider (care assistant) who accompanies her to L’Arche events. I was curious about their daily activities outside of L’Arche NC. Through our chat, I learned that they often find themselves participating in activities designed for toddlers (even though our L’Arche friend is in her 20s), such as storytime at the library or trips to the park. They struggle to find suitable options, besides L’Arche NC activities, for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Raleigh. As we reflected on community during the scavenger hunt, the Support Provider shared a heartwarming sentiment. She explained that while our friend, to whom she provides care support, is an exceptional listener, she is also non-verbal. While the Support Provider enjoys these conversations with her, she is very grateful to L’Arche NC, where she has the opportunity during the day to have spoken conversations. L'Arche events provide them both read more
The Impact Of L’Arche Reaches Beyond Our Community
By Tatum Tricarico, Disability and Theology Intern Over the past two years, it has been amazing to notice how much L’Arche NC has impacted me and those in my circles. One of my favorite parts has been how much this community has expanded my understanding of accessibility and leadership. My work at L’Arche NC has inspired me countless times to be more creative in the ways I plan and offer accessibility. During my first few months serving with L’Arche NC, I was encouraged to include something that was an embodied practice for each program or event I planned. This could be a creative or expressive activity like drawing, or a meditative practice with movement for those who find being still more difficult. The purpose of such was to create different ways for people attending to participate in the community gathering. I noticed as we lived this out at events that not only was it more accessible, but it was also more engaging, and people felt much more connected. For example, when we were painting or writing, people were invited to show off their creative side in ways they read more
