L'Arche Canada

The L'Arche orgnization focuses on developing a strong sense of community spirit. Their goal isn't simply a polite acceptence of difference. The L'Arche communities across Canada and the world seek to meet those with differences, appreciate them, and create bonds of friendship with them. The organization is a unique vision of caregiving and community development that fosters inclusion, understanding, and belonging. In over 200 venues across Canada, volunteers dedicate themselves to those with developmental disabilities. They work to promote positive social values as well as attitudes and skills to enable healthy networks of belonging.

"When we let go of our usual categories and the productivity-oriented measuring systems so common in our culture, we can be surprised by the abilities that people with developmental disabilities often reveal - their keen sensitivity to interpersonal situations, the depth of their empathy, their willingness to overlook and to forgive, their faithfulness, their acceptance of difference, their originality, their capacity to be present and to cut through pretense, their resilience, the creativity of what they produce, and their gift for celebration."

-L'Arche Canada 2005

We look forward to helping develop and promote these ideas as we trek across Canada this summer.