Fall 2015 Two By Two

Discovering An internAtionAl FAmilyKate from Peace House recently Visited some sister communities in euroPe and found Joy and family Jean Vanier says, “Our lives in L’Arche are alarmingly simple.” This was illuminated for me this past summer when I was given the opportunity to visit a few L’Arche communities in Europe. I stayed in two different communities: L’Arche Brugge in Belgium and L’Arche Kilkenny in Ireland. I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging the instant I walked into those communities. The daily rhythm of community life was essentially the same and I felt at home.

Similar to L’Arche Chicago, the core members come home from their day programs anxious to get their afternoon routines started. Assistants and core members would cook and clean together. When gathered around the dinner table, I experienced the same authenticity and love that I experience every day at Peace House. There was laughter and joy but also some tears and complaints about the food (completely average day in all L’Arche communities.)

I was touched by the welcoming we received from the core members. One core member spent her afternoon showing us “Americans” her village. She introduced us to her friends, work and church. Her ability to open up her life and show complete strangers her routine made us feel loved. The simple action of inviting

us to walk with her created a bridge between her life and ours, allowing us to share in her experiences regardless of the language and culture barriers.

I was also amazed by the openness of assistants. I have found that a common L’Arche ice breaker question is “so how did you come to L’Arche?” Through the sharing of our stories we realized that although we had never met, we shared many of the same experiences. Lived community life is not always easy, and it offered peace to know that we faced many of the same challenges.

I spend a lot of time trying to conceptualize what it means to belong and be a part of L’Arche. But what I have realized is that L’Arche is simply that we share our lives. No matter where I go in the world, I will always have home not only in L’Arche but anywhere that mutuality can exist.

News from L’Arche Chicago Fall 2015Encounter • Celebrate • Belong

L’Arche Chicago is ready to grow and assist more core members in 2016.For the past 15 years, L’Arche Chicago has positively impacted the lives of persons with disabilities and their families. Today, we have 8 core members and 6 full time assistants sharing life together in our two homes. The relationships developed in our homes are changing core members and assistants for the better, as well as the friends and families of our L’Arche Community.

home as his home, but now he refers to his L’Arche home, Peace House, as his home. Peace House has become his community, instead of going “home” to his mom’s house, he now “visits” her house. Elisha’s story is one out of many that demonstrates the power of the L’Arche model of community.

that L’Arche Chicago provides. Of these 7,180 people, 4,896 individuals are listed as being in immediate and urgent need of a placement. To meet the demand

for services, the State of Illinois relies heavily on organizations such as L’Arche to provide care for the disabilities community.

However, the financial support that is offered is limited and precarious.

The State provides 70% ($55,379) of the actual cost ($78,979) of staffing and room and board (mortgage, groceries, and household supplies) for our core members. This leaves L’Arche Chicago with a responsibility to fund raise the additional 30% ($23,600) per core member, per year to fill the funding gap.

l’Arche As A community oF growth

By Ashley Collins

Elisha’s mom Linda recently shared the ways she’s seen her son grow and develop in L’Arche.

“Since coming to L’Arche, I’ve noticed that Elisha is making more adult choices. He’s thinking for himself while also keeping in mind the needs of the community. His community is important to him. In a world where inclusion can be difficult, L’Arche has ensured in him a sense of belonging and a feeling that he is a part of something special.”Elisha used to refer to Linda’s

WelComing more Core memBers

A PlACe of PersonAl groWth

We are excited to announce that we will be growing our impact by opening a third home that will welcome two new core members and assistants.

In the State of Illinois, there are currently 7,180 individuals on a waiting list to receive group home services such as those

You can help L’Arche make a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a monthly gift to support our endeavor to welcome more core members. We can have more stories like Elisha’s. Stories of hope, growth, belonging, and joy.

You can visit LArcheChicago.org/NewHome to find out how you can help.

you CAn Be A PArt of the imPACt

Since coming to L’Arche, I’ve noticed that Elisha is making

more adult choices. He’s thinking for himself while also keeping in mind the needs of

the community.

“I’m real, real, real excIted!”

This was Chris’ response when I asked him how he feels about starting his new job at LYFE Kitchen. Chris wants everyone to know that he will be washing and organizing dishes during their busiest time of the day: Lunch!

I asked him how he has been preparing for his new job and it came down to three things.

Number 1) He has been practicing at home by loading and unloading the dishwasher 4 days during the week.

Number 2) He has been working with his job coaches and assistants on how to act professionally in the workplace.

Number 3) He is practicing patience, reminding me that it was very hard for him.

Chris also mentioned that there were many days in which he felt like he was never going to get a job. However, thanks to all the support from his L’Arche Family, those days are finally over.

On the morning of his first day on his new job, he came downstairs, fully dressed in his uniform and sat at his usual spot at the dining table. His head was down the entire time looking at a postcard as he was flickering it up and down. It was unclear how he was feeling. When his head came up he had a huge smile on

his face, but kept whispering to himself, “It’s going to be okay, start the day right.” As soon as the assistant came to see if he needed any help with his breakfast, with a huge smile and deep breath, Chris said, “No, thank you. I am ready to go to work. Let’s go!”

Chris is excited to share about his new job!

A new Job For chris!By nelson sinChi

PeACe house enjoyed A lovely vACAtion to ioWA this summer

The changing color of the leaves on the other side of my window remind me that we are entering into a new season; a season of celebrations, a season of special meaning, and a season of remembering.

Many of us in our community have traditions that we look forward to around this time of year. Actually, many of us have traditions we look forward to all year round. Some of us make homemade pizza every Saturday night with a special radio show playing in the background, some of us say a certain prayer after every evening meal, and some of us go to a certain camp for a week each summer.

Last Saturday, as we ate the deliciously traditional homemade pizza at Peace House, we wondered why we kept the traditions we do. Some shared that it reminds me of someone special, it makes me think of a good memory, and it assures me that I don’t need to worry about anything.

As our community is growing here in Chicago, along with the culture we’re in, we have taken time to reflect on the way that tradition is present in L’Arche. Our mission statement calls us to foster an environment in community that responds to the changing needs of our members, while being faithful to the core values of our founding story.

Our Community Coordinator Luca Badetti has been helping us reflect on what it means to be faithful to the core values of our founding story, learning to recognize the difference between projects and core values. We can do things differently but still be united in our common identity and mission of being a community celebrating relationships of belonging.

A recent formation from a longtime friend of L’Arche Brenda Herman helped us understand the cultural influences that we carry with us–both from our broader American cultural context as well as our more local L’Arche Chicago cultural context. We remembered our founding story here in Chicago, our shared history the last fifteen years, and our hopes and dreams for the future.

Our gratitude for our relationships–with you and with each other–continues to be a common thread in all these conversations. Your presence and faithfulness to our community has brought–and is bringing–us into being. We couldn’t be more grateful for the ways you hold us!

looking bAck AnD ForwArD

By miC AltenA

Descriptions from Top Left to Right: Peace House visited Kate’s family in Iowa, Intern Caitlin and German Assistant Hannah pose with Elbert for a “Family Portrait”, Christianne commends Spirit of L’Arche Award Winner Kevin McDonald at the 2015 L’Arche Golf Classic, Elbert enjoying a nice brew at Greek Fest, Ashley and Tim are excited to get the Golf Classic going, Elisha, Mikey, Italian assistant Sara, and David pose for a selfie, Tim reads the story of a fellow core member in L’Arche Bethany at the October Community Night, Jean and Sister Maria enjoying some fellowship time, L’Arche Chicago proudly marching in the Chicago Disabilities Pride Parade, Christianne and Joy enjoying a beautiful summer day in the park, Elbert, David, and Becca rooted for the White Sox, Luca and Mikey discuss L’Arche and Mikey’s rapper name on Relevant Radio.

l’Arche chicAgo AnnuAl reportJuly 2014 - June 2015

Income

Foundations & OrganizationsArt de TriumphDemar IncElmcrest BanquetsErnst & YoungGraingerHarris, Ruben Living TrustLaChapelle Family FoundationLake Forest Bank and TrustL’Arche St. LouisL’Arche USAMarcus Hotels and ResortsMilhouse CharitiesMinuteman PressNuveen InvestmentsPatrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan FoundationPrudential Foundation Matching GiftsSisters of St. FrancisSPINS, LLCSt. Giles Catholic ChurchSt. Vincent Ferrer Social MinistryThe Arts of LifeThe Big Cat FoundationThe Coleman FoundationThe Retirement Research FoundationWoods Fund of Chicago

IndividualsJanet & Tony AbriKathleen AltenaMic & Shinae AltenaLeland & Mary Lou AndersonTimothy AndrianoJulie ArchibaldKatie & Gary ArnoldCharles & Elizabeth AschauerJohn & Janet BaarAlex & Adam BaigLinda & Randy BallaMelissa BarbicClark BarshingerJean & Ann BeaudoinEsther BeckDennis BelcastroElaine BellisMartin Berg & Gina OrlandoRobert L. BernerJohn & Marie BiggsRobert BiggsMarguerite BlochJohn & Mary BonkRose Marie BorrelliBeatrice BoscoHelen BourkeBonnie BozekMarion & John BrandGregory BransonGeorge BryantTed & Margaret BrzyskiMichael & Jeanette BuchananSusan BuchananBernard & Cynthia BucholzThomas & Veronica BucleyKristina BurgerMary Ellen BurkeDiana BurnsTom & Carol ButlerIsabel & Xavier CabanneVictor CanzolinoMarjorie CareyBarbara CarloMaria Carroll

Marley CarrollLorayne CascinoStacy Cates-CarneyDolores CentkaEric ChansyMary Susan & David ChenJack & Glenna CholakianMr & Mrs. James CibockJohn CichonLyndee CichonRonald & Karen CichonTim CichonDiana ClarkeHelene & Frank ClarkeRobert CollinsJoseph & Dana ConnellNick ConnellGenevieve ConnorKristin CooperDavid & Barbara CorcoranPhilip CordesJoseph & Susan CoughlinMary & John CrawfordJames & Janalee CroegartCarol Bularz & Kenneth CuculichPeg & Gary CurranJoan DecleeneRichard & Joan DeCleeneMatt DeFanoThomas & Maria DeflorioThomas DeflorioColleen DelaneyAnn & Timothy DevereuxLeo & Kathleen DietlinTom & Peggy DoetschDominic DohertyBill & Tesse DonnellyMichael & Marjorie DonovanMichael & Trudy DoyleTom DoyleCeleste DuignanKathleen DullBrian DunnJacqueline & Sandra DuponJohn DylongMaribeth C. EbnerPeter & Neva Egan Gloria EngstromDorin & Eileen FeraTom & Carole FergusonMark FingerSteve & Karin FischerSarah FlosiKathleen & Dan FoleyValerie Fonstin AkinsSpencer FoonEllen M. FosterPatrick Gregory FoxEsther E. FreyGary GallFrancis & Annette GallagherMaria & Michael GarvyCharles GatelyTom GawneSr. Yvonne Gehant, OSFAmina GhalyounGeorge GianakakosCarol L. GloorRaymond GoedertEllen GorinJudy & Tom GormanMabel R. GraceJoyce M. Grant

Maureen GravesDavid Griffin & Susan WarnerEileen H. GriffinJames & Mary Kehoe GriffinWilliam D. HagertyJohn & Julia HaleyMonica Halloran & Louis ButlerMaureen HanlonSuzanne Haraburd & David StromKimberly HarveyEric HassbergerRev. Gregory Helminski, CRJacob HenkelsMarilyn HennessyMarcos & Amanda HigaredaSarah HoffmanMarie HolcombCatherine M. HoppePeter & Kathryn HorosJo Anne HorstmannDon HosekWerner & Laurie HugetGlenn, Karen, & Georgia HunterJohn HustedMaureen B. JeffriesJohn JezisekMimi Jilek KlotzDale JohnsonGertrude JohnsonJoppachan JosephRichard JungGeorge & Irene KalantzisElena KanagandramRobert & Therese KarlHelen KauffmanThomas P. KearneyElena & Dale KelleyCarol KellyChristopher & Elizabeth KeysMireille KhairallahScott & Phung KhamphounvongSarah KimbleBarb & Joe KingLeslie KingMary KingMichael KingCarol Knoerzer & John ZajacJoe & Jane KollerJeri KozicaStephen KozicaDorothy & Zenon KrolKurt KubonPat KuzmakDenise La GigliaDr. Charles W. LaabsTim LallyFlorence & Klaus LangeTeresa LapetinaJohn & Becky LargeRobin LargoRichard LarkinMr. & Mrs. Henry LatzkeLeonhardt Household Christopher LerchKay LewellyanHenan LiNathan LinTeresa LinAnna Lise JensenTeresita LowryChrista MacbethMichael & Kenna MackinnonJoan Mahler

Cathleen MaidlowFrank MarianiKathy MarinoCynthia MaroonFrank MauceriChet & Lillian MaziarzGerry & Jack McAuliffeJames & Linda McCrearyLeigh McDevittKatherine McDonaldKevin McDonaldWilliam L. McDonald, JrEdwin McGeeCatherine McGivneyE. Corinne McGrailCarol McGuireJohn & Laura McNamaraAriana MelendezHelen Mendoza & Wayne HilgendorfMelissa MiddletonTim MooreRichard MoreauAnita MsallLaurence & Mary Jo MsallErika A MusserStephen NazaranPat NelsonJohn NewhouseKenneth NovakLori NutterCharles O’BrienPeg O’BrienPatrick & Marlene O’BryanJohn & Kathleen O’ConnorNick & Sally O’DonnellThomas O’DonnellFrank & Anita O’HaraJames O’SheaMathew O’SheaRobert OldershawJames OReillyJohn & Mary OrmsbyJohn Owens & Martha MiddletonEdward & Jodiann PacerDavid PassagliaTeresa PelletierMary J PetersonDavid Phillips & Beata Welsh Amy PhimisterLiz PiconeWendy PlanekWilliam PlanekRick & Peggy PlastinaCasey PlattPeter & Paula Pohlhammer Darius PovilaitisLinda PrestonDonn & Carol Raabe William & Elizabeth RaheVishu RamanathanGeorge RassasEdward RawskiAlexander & Christine ReedsCatherine & Tom ReedyAndy ReiderAnthony RentzThomas ReuscheJim & Marianne RichardsLois RichterSteve RichterPatrick & Lois Riley Richard & Mildred Riley

thAnk you to our DonorsWe are so grateful for all of our donors of the fiscal year 2015 Below are individuals and organizations that donated to L’Arche between July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015

Kathleen RivetTerrence & Ann RoachElizabeth RochfordAdam & Ellen RomeiserAndrew K. RosuckJeffrey RoyceGeorge E. RuebensonRachel SalazarSusan SchaeferJohn & Leah SchautMarianne Loner SchippereitRohini SenguptaPatricia A. ShevlinMartin ShiringRay Simons & Janet McNicholas John SmithJack and Marilyn SmithObie Jay & AudreyRichard & Louise SnyderJames & Karen Socke Sally SommersLawrence & Laura SorceMary SotirFrank & Carol SpaleCamden StaceyMitchell & Moira StaggsJon StannerElizabeth Anne StewardMark StoltenbergTed & Bethanne StoneMike StrickerAnthony & Leah Suarez-AbrahamTheresa SullivanMary Conti SwiontoniowskiEuclid & Janet TalbotJoseph & Audrey TaylorFrank Tenbrink & Jeannie Cleary Kathleen TerborgClayton ThelenStasia ThompsonTrenis Jackson & Helen ThorntonRobert A. ThrushJanet ToddAnnette TowlerNicole L. VandervoortNatalya VarshavskayaJenny WallaceMatthew & Lisa WalshBob & Marietta WalshRosella WaltersEd and Mary WerdellCathy Weigel-FoyCasey WeissBernard & Marie Wheel Judith WilkeMaureen WindmoellerJonathon WittigGregory WrobelGilbert ZeimenSisters of St. FrancisSr. Maria ZeimenRay & Bev ZeimenRobert ZeimenMarty J. ZiemerDr. R. Allan & Carol Ann ZimmerHank ZubaJed & Linda Zucco

Beloved L’Arche Family,

The 2014-2015 year has been a year of growth, development, joy, and excitement. One of our biggest stories was the that core members and assistants packed up Interfaith House and founded Peace House. The home has been a blessing and we thank everyone who has supported us as we went through that much needed transition.

L’Arche Chicago finished 2014-2015 strongly with a $49,606 net revenue which will be used to establish an emergency fund in the case of delayed State payments. We have been working diligently to find new avenues of revenue in order to minimize the necessity for governmental funding.

Some other highlights of the year included:• Welcoming Ashley Collins as our new Development

Director• Raising an outstanding $30,000 at our 2nd annual golf

outing• Awarding Sr. Maria Zeimen and Kevin McDonald as

our 2015 Spirit of L’Arche honorees• Leading a day of retreat for our core members and

assistants• Welcoming six new loving and committed live in

assistants into community• Celebrating the L’Arche International 50 year Jubilee

in Washington, D.C.

An exciting method of funding and engagement has begun in the newly formed Young Professionals Board! An enthusiastic group of young professionals will be hosting small social events throughout the year and inviting friends and family to get to know the work of L’Arche as well as establish relationships with core members and assistants.

The Board has been working with banks, realtors, and funders to find a new home that would become our third L’Arche home in the Chicagoland area. We plan on welcoming two new core members in the next 6 months.

I remain ever-thankful to all of our supporters and donors. The impact that L’Arche is able to create is due to your kindness and generosity. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities, assistants, friends of the community, and Chicagoland.

May we continue to be as Jean Vanier states, “A tiny sign among thousands of others that Love is Possible.” Sincerely, Anthony Suárez-AbrahamPresident, L’Arche Chicago

$655,087 $605,481

Expenses

messAge From our boArD presiDent

1011 Lake Street, Suite 403 Oak Park, IL 60301

In ThIs Issue:

lArchechicAgo.org | FAcebook.com/lArchechicAgo | twitter.com/lArchechicAgo

Finding an International Family in L’Arche

Great News for Chris!

We’re GROWING! (In more ways than one!)

2014-2015 Annual Report

Letter from our Board President

Thank you to our amazing donors and supporters!