Agency Details:

L'Arche Noah Sealth

L’Arche Noah Sealth seeks to be a sign of hope in our world by creating homes for people with disabilities and those who come to share life with them; where faithful relationships based on forgiveness and celebration are nurtured and where the belief that each person is of sacred and unique value, revealing their gifts and their vocation.

Description:
L’Arche Noah Sealth (LNS) is a faith based community providing housing, advocacy, support and community integration to people with developmental disabilities. LNS is part of an international organization founded on the belief that each person is of sacred and unique value and that by sharing life with one another each person’s vocation is revealed. LNS has provided staff (Assistants) since 1975 to live in the homes with the members with disabilities (Core Members), sharing life, creating home and building community. Two of the Core Members that founded LNS continue to live in LNS. LNS has three homes and a day activity center in the Capitol Hill section of Seattle.

History:
L'Arche, French for "The Ark," began in 1964 in France when Jean Vanier welcomed two men with developmental disabilities to leave an institution and share life with him in the Spirit of the Beatitudes. Over time, Jean experienced being transformed by the constant forgiveness and love he received from his two housemates. He recognized that he was learning how to love and build faith community by living a communion with Raphael and Phillippe. This led to a radical insight: that we live with people with disabilities in community as equals. This has profound implications for our community members and our world.

The mission of L'Arche in the United States is to be a sign of hope in our world by creating homes where faithful relationships based on forgiveness and celebration are nurtured and where the belief that each person is of sacred and unique value, thus revealing their gifts and vocation.

L'Arche Noah Sealth, a nonprofit organization, is part of the International Federation of L'Arche. Currently there are over 134 communities in 30 different countries around the world. L'Arche Seattle is founded and rooted in the Roman Catholic Church, yet its emphasis is ecumenical. Our folks with disabilities (core members) are at the heart of our community and the assistants who live with and care for them come from various parts of the world. They are people from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds and various religious affiliations as well. We currently serve 15 core members in residential settings (three homes) and depending on the day, between 4-8 core members in our day program, the Activity Center.

Contact people:

Gerry Scully, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Joan Eads, Consultant, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (206) 325-9434
Office fax number: (206) 568-0367

Address:

PO Box 22023 Seattle, WA 98122

Web Site: http://www.larcheseattle.org

Miscellaneous Information

Liability
	Yes
Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers?
	No
Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18?
	Yes

Last updated on July 6, 2009