L'Arche Jacksonville is a nonprofit organization with the goal of facilitating community between adults with intellectual/physical disabilities (we call "Core Members") and the Jacksonville area. Our community focuses on the unique value/strengths of every person, celebrates diversity, the need for cultivating relationships, and the appreciation of faith practices within L’Arche. Our hope is to work together toward a more evolved and caring human society. Our community consists of: - Four family-style homes - Blanchart Community Center - an off-site day program called the Rainbow Workshop We accomplish our mission by: - Announcing our spirituality as a L’Arche community - Witnessing a simple lifestyle and mutual respect for differences - Nurturing relationships “Home life is at the heart of a L'Arche community. The different members of a community are called to be one body. They live, work, pray and celebrate together, sharing their joys and their suffering and forgiving each other, as in a family. They have a simple life-style which gives priority to relationships.” -The L'Arche Character Operating in conjunction with L'Arche USA and L'Arche International: L'Arche Jacksonville - http://www.larchejacksonville.org/ L'Arche USA - https://www.larcheusa.org/ L'Arche International - https://larche.org/en/web/guest/welcome Today, there are 158 L’Arche communities on 6 continents in 38 countries around the world. Q - How, when and by whom was L'Arche Jacksonville founded? A - Originally formed as Harbor House in 1985, the community joined the international federation of L’Arche communities in 1992. Founded in the Catholic tradition, we welcome people of all faiths. L’Arche Jacksonville is the only L’Arche community in Florida. Q - What does L'Arche mean and how is it pronounced? A - The French word L’Arche rhymes with marsh and means “the ark,” a symbol of refuge and the first covenant between God and humanity.