Neighborhood Nonprofit Spotlight: L'Arche Portland

Patch talks to L'Arche Portland about the important work it does for the disabled community.

Patch: Tell Patch a little about you and your organization!

L'Arche: L'Arche Portland creates home and builds community as people with and without intellectual disabilities.

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Patch: How does your organization help to strengthen the local community?

L'Arche: People with disabilities experience disproportionately high rates of discrimination, poverty, poor mental and physical health outcomes, and marginalization. Our society does not recognize one of the most important needs of all – the need to belong. Belonging is a need felt by all people, but it is often neglected for people with intellectual disabilities. L'Arche Portland addresses this common need for belonging and the isolation and loneliness that people with intellectual disabilities face through our intentional model of fostering mutual relationships. Our vision of disability is based on the simple, powerful idea that love, relationships, and belonging are essential to all people and that every person has the ability and responsibility to contribute.

Patch: When did you open?

L'Arche 1987

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Patch: What is the biggest struggle your organization faces?

L'Arche: Reaching more people with intellectual disabilities while also meeting the increased needs of our aging core members. We need an additional fully-accessible property, but Portland prices make such acquisition difficult.

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Patch: What do you hope for the future of your nonprofit?

L'Arche: We hope to build deep, impactful relationships between more people with and without intellectual disabilities in the Portland metro region.