WHO WE ARE: L’Arche (French “the Ark”) Boston North (LBN) is a human service provider founded in 1983, we are located in Haverhill, Essex County, MA. Founded 33 years ago by a group of parents who learning of the L’Arche movement (founded in France by Jean Vanier in the 1960s) set their minds to creating a community in Massachusetts. A community where their intellectually disabled sons and daughters could spiritually grow, belong and achieve a full meaningful life as adults, long after they were around to care for them. LBN own four homes in Haverhill, MA serving 17 adults intellectual disabilities (core members) and their 12 live in staff (assistants). Currently, half of our core members have lived in our community since 1980s, and are now 50 plus years old. The new home (pictured) will enable us to provide the promised lifelong home for all of our core members as they age. The new home has five bedrooms and is fully handicapped accessible. LBN, while independently operated with funding from state contracts, is part of an international federation, L’Arche International (146 communities located in over 35 countries) around the world. Jean Vanier, noted Canadian, author and philosopher, founded L’Arche in 1964. All of our communities welcome people of diverse backgrounds, cultural and religious traditions—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and others including people who follow no religious tradition. Each community reflects the local culture, language and traditions. The young people who come to L’Arche as assistants for 1-2 years (at LBN most are college students in their “gap year”) almost without exception are deeply touched by their time spent living in community with the core members. Many tell us that their minds are opened, and their imaginations galvanized, through this new perspective on difference and disability profoundly informing their personal and work life decisions.
