“I’m Happy!” – A Story About Belonging
Hello L’Arche Friends –
Recently, I was driving one of our Core Members to one of his regular weekly activities. The moment he got in the car, he looked at me, beaming, and said, “I’m happy!”
I smiled and replied, “Right on!”
Without missing a beat, he declared again: “I’m happy! I’m with my friend. The sun is shining! God woke me up today! I’m happy!”
That moment has stayed with me ever since. It was simple, profound, and contagious. His joy wasn’t dependent on anything fancy—just friendship, sunshine, and the gift of another day. Since then, I’ve borrowed his exclamation for my own morning mantra. Before checking email or pouring my coffee, I try to begin with those same words:
“I’m happy. I’m with my friends. God woke me up today.”
At L’Arche North Carolina, joy shows up in unexpected places. Since I began working here in 2021, I’ve seen time and again how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are not only recipients of care, but givers of joy, connection, and purpose. Each of our four Core Members brings light into our community in a way that can’t help but ripple outward.
Everyday moments at the L’Arche house reflect something much deeper: shared meals where someone’s favorite song gets everyone dancing, quiet mornings where Assistants gently help with routines, game nights full of inside jokes. This is not just a place to live—it’s a place where people are truly known, celebrated, and loved.
When we say our house is full, we mean it in every way. It’s full of life. Full of meaning. Full of connection.
That’s what you make possible through your generous gifts and support. And we can’t thank you enough. We’d love to invite you into that joy:
Grow Together: Paint & Plant – May 17th at Bethany UMC: Bring a friend and let your creativity bloom.
Sundaes on Sunday – June 1st at the L’Arche House: Family fun, live music, and an ice cream bar you won’t want to miss.
Summer Movie Nights in Raleigh – Details listed below! Each night has a fun dress-up theme.
If you’ve had a hard week, if the news feels heavy, or if you’re simply looking for community—you’ll find something special here. I hope you’ll join us soon.
Surrounded by joy,
Laura Steed Lorino,
Executive Director & Community Leader
Our Hope for 2022: Creating Belonging
When our friend John calls the L'Arche North Carolina office, he doesn't just say "hello." He calls with purpose and gets right to business. John asks, "so, what programs do you have coming up? Anything I can join?" We share the list of upcoming events, and he confidently responds, "I have more ideas! How about a trivia event or a talent show?" John is an amazing individual with autism. His ideas are big, and his enthusiasm is tangible. We take his suggestions seriously and welcome his calls as part of our workday; we want to craft events that EVERYONE in our community, including John, will enjoy and find meaningful. These gatherings serve a much greater purpose than simply offering fun activities for people to do. We plan and host such events to create opportunities for friendship, where every person is included and celebrated for their unique gifts. L’Arche North Carolina is on a mission to create communities of belonging for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). We seek to foster the flourishing of individuals within a community setting. While we currently gather together for events read more
Thank YOU for supporting L’Arche NC this Giving Season!
We are so grateful for your outpouring of support this Giving Tuesday: you helped raise over $20,000 for L'Arche North Carolina! Your generous gifts move us closer to establishing the first L'Arche home in North Carolina. Your investment in our community for adults with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities supports programs and events that help create inclusion and nurture belonging! Thank you! There are many ways you can continue to support L'Arche NC, beyond financial gifts. This holiday season, give the gift of your presence at our events, or reach out to info@larchenc.org if you have a talent or skill that you would like contribute to our emerging community! Want to donate but missed Giving Tuesday? It's not too late! click HERE. Give a gift that keeps on giving! This holiday season give the gift of hope. Donate to L'Arche NC in honor of a friend or family member. They will receive a handwritten card from L'Arche NC letting them know a special gift was given in their name to help create a more inclusive world. Email Laurasl@Larchenc.org for more information.
Our First Hybrid Event
On Friday, October 29, we gathered for our first hybrid event. After many months of waiting to be together in person, we finally did it! It was wonderful to see people, both new friends and old buddies, in real life. This gathering was really an idea that blossomed from St. Francis of Assisi Church in Raleigh. They were having a staff service day and asked if it was possible to partner with L'Arche NC. With this invitation, we decided to host a gathering not only for some of their staff and L'Arche friends but for the whole community. The morning was really two "events" in one. We started with painting pumpkins. For this activity, we joined a Zoom with L'Arche Jacksonville in Florida. L'Arche Jax gave us a quick tour of their beautiful Rainbow Room Workshop. Seeing this large building with so many different rooms, activities, and crafts was inspiring! What if L'Arche NC one day had such a space to welcome so many friends, volunteers, and community members? We had fun getting to meet some of the Core Members from this community, too. After the pumpkins, we read more
Reflecting on the Impact of L’Arche by Rev. Christi Dye
At my first prayer service at L'Arche, a long-term assistant welcomed me and said, "Be careful. L'Arche gets in your blood, and you're never the same." 26 years later, I still affirm that she was right. L'Arche is so much a part of me that it's like it's "in my blood." I lived in community for 9 years (1996-2005) and am now a pastor in Raleigh; L’Arche is with me, IN me all the time. L'Arche has given me a great capacity to celebrate others. I may have been generally affirming before L'Arche, but now I really delight in each person. Recently, a new colleague commented on how much she delighted in hearing me greet people in the hallway as they come back into the church office. That's the welcome of L'Arche. L'Arche taught me to not shy away from hard things; which is important as a pastor because my people go through really hard things. It's L'Arche that taught me...in-depth...that God is present in our pain and vulnerabilities. L'Arche has been called a “moveable feast,” an embodiment of abundance that can be experienced in many times and read more
Macie’s First Month Reflection
My first month with L’Arche NC has flown by at lightning speed! I am so grateful for my time here thus far, and have been thoroughly enjoying the chance to get to know what work with L’Arche looks like. While getting acclimated I’ve been absorbing tons of new information; an endeavor which has come with its fair share of exciting, disheartening, overwhelming, and hope-filled realizations. I’ll be sharing here some of the most impactful things I’ve learned so far. First, I am learning the reality of accessible spaces in our world. During my first week, I started to look for places to feature in our social media series, “Accessible Triangle,” a series where we post exciting, accessible locations to visit in our area. As soon as I began sifting through my own ideas for features, this reality came creeping in: they are all inaccessible. I then tried a google search: still, most are inaccessible. I began paying attention to the places I was driving past and walking by on my off-hours. Again, so many of the places which sparked an initial “that could be neat!” are inaccessible. I read more
L’Arche NC Anchor Spotlight
We are grateful for Gladys and Ben Whitehouse who support L'Arche each month because "Everyone deserves to live in a loving and supportive community." We continue to move closer toward our goal of opening the first L'Arche community in North Carolina and we cannot do it without you! At the beginning of this year, we shared our goal to have 10 new L'Arche Anchors commit to giving monthly. We have not only met, but have exceeded our goal! THANK YOU! As of today, we've had 14 individuals and/or families sign up to support L'Arche each month. With this in mind, we believe we can more than double our goal for this year... By the end of 2021 we hope to have 21 new L'Arche Anchors this year. Will you help us? Become a L'Arche Anchor today - click here (check the box "Show my support by making this a recurring donation") or email info@larchenc.org to sign up.
Our New Intern
We are excited to welcome Macie Bridge to the L'Arche North Carolina Team. Macie is a recent graduate from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and is coming to L’Arche NC for her service year with the Johnson Service Corps. As an undergraduate, Macie studied English and Religious Studies, and developed a love for ministry, leadership, and all things writing. She is excited to step into the nonprofit world with L'Arche for the year as she continues to discern her next professional steps. In her spare time, she can usually be found writing her novel, baking, or taking a nature walk. This is her first week working with L'Arche NC! Through this partnership, Macie will work with L'Arche NC for 32 hours each week. Her focus will be upcoming events, grant writing, and communications. We are grateful for her YES to L'Arche NC!
Welcome Aboard!
Welcome Aboard! This month, we have more opportunities to gather with friends online. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming virtual events. Join our monthly inclusive prayer and reflection event, "Y'all Belong Here: an inclusive sacred space" on Wednesday, September 15 at 2:00pm EDT. We partner with L'Arche Atlanta for this 30-minute gathering. Click here to join. Learn more about L'Arche at our upcoming book discussion! Next week we will begin looking at Henri Nouwen's book, "Adam: God's Beloved." Join us for one or both of the meetings on Zoom: September 16 at 12:00pm EDT (Chapters 1-4) or September 29 at 7:30pm EDT (Chapters 5-9). Click here to join (Zoom link works for both discussions). Are you ready for some fun? We are hosting a Trivia Night on Thursday, September 30 at 6:00pm EDT. There will be prizes! Zoom Link.
