Help Anchor our Community of Belonging
Hello L’Arche NC Friends –
In 2011, a small group came together with a dream: to build a community where people with and without intellectual disabilities could share life, friendship, and belonging.
That dream became L’Arche North Carolina. Fourteen years later, we’ve opened our first home in Durham and continue to host vibrant gatherings across the Triangle where we witness how belonging transforms lives. Whether I’m at the house or a Together event, I see relationships forming that defy isolation.
L’Arche GWDC recently released a beautiful short film, On Loneliness, reminding us that the antidote to loneliness is friendship across differences. I can’t watch it without getting goosebumps—because it reflects what we see and experience at L’Arche NC every day.
This July, in honor of our first meeting L’Arche NC meeting, we’re inviting 20 new monthly donors—our L’Arche Anchors—to join us. We need your help and commitment to continue this work of building belonging.
Would you consider committing to giving $10 a month?
$10/month ($120/year) may seem small—but in community, small gifts multiply. Here’s what it can do:
- Provides craft materials for friends at our monthly Craft Together gathering—supporting inclusive art and expression.
- Purchases birthday or celebration supplies, helping ensure every person is honored and celebrated.
- Buys ingredients for baking days, where Core Members and volunteers connect through the joy of making something together.
Can you commit to $100 a month?
$100/month ($1,200/year) helps create spaces of belonging in big ways.
- Covers the cost of an entire Community Dinner—feeding 15–20 people and offering a warm, welcoming space where friendships grow.
- Funds accessible transportation, ensuring Core Members can access medical appointments, work, and social activities.
- Helps us welcome new Core Members, Assistants, and volunteers, providing orientation materials, training, and the intentional support needed for deep, mutual relationships to flourish.
Or, sign up for whatever monthly gift feels right to you to help L’Arche NC build a community where strangers become friends and joy is abundant.
To become a L’Arche Anchor and commit to a monthly gift, click the button below to make a donation. On the donation page, select the box, “Show my support by making this a recurring donation.”
In Community,
Laura Steed Lorino
Executive Director & Community Leader
P.S. Please take a few minutes out of your day and watch the video below from L’Arche GWDC. If you’ve never been to L’Arche or experienced the belonging we often talk about at L’Arche, you’ll see and hear it in action.
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
The Sip, See, and Support Recap
Dear Friends, For those who were not able to join us at the L'Arche NC house for our first event, WE MISSED YOU! The Sip, See, and Support provided an opportunity for local friends and supporters to visit the house for a tour filled with stories from former and current members of L'Arche communities. Our storytellers beautifully articulated the essence of L'Arche as more than just a house but a home where memories are made, and lives are transformed. They shared touching stories that we believe capture the heart of what we hope to achieve in our own L'Arche community in North Carolina. One poignant story was shared by Megan, from L’Arche Atlanta about a birthday celebration for a Core Member that included a beautiful tradition: “The guests encircled [the Core Member] and shared what they valued about her—her smile, her warmth, her sense of humor. Previously, her life had been marked by loneliness and rejection; she now beamed with a sense of belonging as she was surrounded by voices recognizing her value.” It's these simple yet profound moments, the celebration of individual triumphs, quirks, and existence, that read more
L’Arche NC receives Citizen Involvement Award
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that L'Arche NC has been honored with the 2023 Citizen Involvement Award by the Raleigh Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities! This recognition warms our hearts and reinforces the importance of our mission. At L'Arche NC, we're all about celebrating diversity, promoting inclusivity, and fostering a sense of belonging for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. This award is not just a testament to our organization, but to the incredible individuals, volunteers, and supporters who make up the L'Arche NC Community. Your dedication and passion drive us to create a more inclusive world for everyone. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Mayor’s Committee for this acknowledgment. It fuels our passion to continue making a positive impact, fostering understanding, and embracing the diversity that makes our community so vibrant. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. Together, we are breaking barriers and building a world where everyone is valued and included. Laura Steed Lorino, our Executive Director, and Kyla, a volunteer at L'Arche NC, accepted the award from Mayor Baldwin. read more
