Welcome to Friends of L’Arche Central Virginia Website

A mission, not a business, L’Arche is an international community of faith that attracts assistants from around the globe to share lives with persons with intellectual disabilities (core members). In family-like homes, assistants accompany (not supervise) core members, creating a quality of life rarely seen among those with intellectual disabilities.

We welcome you to share our community activities and grow in spirituality, respect, celebration, and solidarity.

L’Arche means “The Ark” in French from the Biblical story of Noah and the Ark.  L’Arche began in 1964 in France when Jean Vanier invited two men who had lived in an institution for most of their lives to live in his home and share life in the spirit of the Beatitudes that Jesus preached. Today, there are 140 communities in 36 countries. L’Arche USA has 16 communities,  and the nearest to us are L’Arche Blue Ridge Mountains in Lynchburg and L’Arche of Greater Washington (in Washington DC and Arlington, VA).

In L’Arche people with and without disabilities share lives in a community of faith and celebrate the gifts of persons with disabilities and the unique value of every person.