"Real peace implies something deeper than polite acceptance of those who are different. It means meeting those who are different, appreciating them and their culture, and creating bonds of friendship with them." Jean Vanier
Photo by Juan , L'Arche Greater Vancouver

L'Arche is a unique vision of care giving and community building that fosters inclusion, understanding and belonging.

In nearly 200 small homes and day settings across Canada, caregivers and volunteers from diverse cultures and backgrounds share deeply committed relationships with people with developmental disabilities.

Every year L'Arche has a transformative impact on the lives of hundreds of young people who assist in L'Arche settings.

L'Arche also offers programs and publications for schools, professional development and the general public that:

* contribute to the public conversation about social values
* promote mutuality in relationships across difference
* teach attitudes and skills for creating networks of belonging

	Our society needs every person's contribution
Photo by Juan, L'Arche Greater Vancouver

"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."

From: More Than Inclusion, L'Arche Canada, 2005