About L'Arche

Founded in 1975, L'Arche Cleveland is a community of people with and without developmental disabilities committed to sharing their lives together. L'Arche has built four loving homes – one in Cleveland Heights, one in Maple Heights, and two in Cleveland near Shaker Square – for 14 "core members" (those with developmental disabilities who are at the "core" of our community).

L'Arche core members, volunteers and assistants actively embrace a "living with" rather than "doing for" philosophy, creating a quality of life rarely seen among those with developmental disabilities.

Founded in the Catholic faith in a small village in France in 1964, L'Arche welcomes individuals of all religions and beliefs. The organization was built on respect and the valuing of difference. Today it has grown to encompass 137 communities in 40 countries around the world.

Within our community, core members experience multiple levels of sharing, trust, friendship, joy, belonging and forgiveness. This is accomplished through prayer, sharing meals, celebrations, doing crafts, playing games, going on outings and living everyday life together.