I often receive messages of gratitude from readers. If Nanny&Me helped your family, maybe saved you money on agency fees, or supported you in building a strong relationship with your nanny, then here is your chance to pay it forward. I don’t make money from Nanny&Me; I don’t charge fees to access the resources that I’ve developed and I don’t have advertisements on my site. I developed Nanny&Me out of a desire to empower and support families in need.
I am a
firm believer in paying things forward and giving back, so rather than ever asking you for
something for myself, I am going to ask you to give what you can to a charity
that is near and dear to my heart. L’Arche is an organization that I have been
involved with for over a decade. There is an upcoming bowlathon fundraiser for
L’Arche Toronto with a goal of raising $45,000 to support the critical work
that they do. I hope you’ll read and share my L’Arche story, and consider
giving what you can, whether it be $10 or $100, it is all greatly appreciated.
MY L'ARCHE STORY...
Simply put, L’Arche
changed my life.
My journey with L’Arche began a decade ago when a friend
invited me to go for dinner at a L’Arche home in Toronto where she was living. I
showed up to a house that appeared like any other, but what I found when I
walked in the door was something completely unique; a home where people with
and without developmental disabilities were living together, in community. At
the dinner table, everyone shared not just in a meal, but in an experience,
conveying their gratitude for the food that had been thoughtfully prepared
(they made me a vegan dinner), and for one another’s company. The love and
light around the dinner table was remarkable. There is something so uniquely
transformative about experiencing L’Arche for the first time. I can’t quite put
my finger on it, but I suppose it’s like coming home, home to a place where you
immediately belong, where you are welcomed in with open arms, and cherished for
being you.
The experience inspired me so I made the decision to live in
L’Arche. I was 19 and looking for adventure so I picked L’Arche Vancouver so
that I could check out west coast living. I spent the next year of my life
growing into the person that I had always wanted to become…someone who was
thoughtful, patient, and deliberate, and someone who had a whole lot of fun. L’Arche
brought tenderness into my life. L’Arche is not like other group homes, in fact
L’Arche homes really aren’t “group homes” at all…they are homes in the truest
definition of the word, where people live and share their lives together. The
people who live in L’Arche homes eat together, play together, and sleep under
one roof, moving through life side by side, and as part of a larger community,
as part of something greater than themselves.
Fast forward 6 years to my nana’s passing. My aunt who has a
developmental disability and lived with my nana, needed a new home. The stars
must have aligned because my aunt was offered a place in L’Arche Toronto. My
mom and I were floored, with a shortage of thousands of spaces for people with
disabilities across Ontario, it was as if all of our dreams for my aunt were
coming true. At a time so full of sadness, I watched L’Arche transform my aunt’s
life; I watched her flourish. She became more active, developed a robust social
life, starting attending a number of engaging programs, and participating in a
range of activities. Soon my aunt’s calendar was more jam packed than mine, and
she was thriving. Before moving into L’Arche my aunt struggled with a number of
fears/anxieties that prevented her from participating in a lot of
activities. L’Arche is a place that doesn’t so much force people past these types
of fears, but invites them to let them go, and they have done a wonderful job
of supporting my aunt in coping with some of these anxieties so that she can lead
a more fulfilling life every day.
Fast forward another 4 years and my aunt is a valued member
of a community, and I am working at L’Arche Toronto. My career has come full
circle, having lived in L’Arche a decade ago, I have been able to return to
share my experience and expertise in the non-profit sector in a stimulating
role within the development office, helping to build the organization’s capacity
to transform more lives.
And wouldn’t you know it that all these years later, my aunt
is living in the very house that I ate supper in over a decade ago; the very
house that inspired me to open my heart to L’Arche. L’Arche instilled in me the values
and principles that I carried forward into my life (personally and
professionally). I will be eternally grateful for what L’Arche has provided me,
and one of the ways that I demonstrate this gratitude is by being a donor myself.
L’Arche changes thousands of lives worldwide (there are over
145 communities in 30 countries), and I
am inviting you to be part of that change.
TO SPONSOR ME, CLICK HERE
L’ARCHE TORONTO transforms lives through a community-based approach to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Founded on the principles of belonging and inclusion, L’ARCHE TORONTO provides daily living and employment supports, and a creative/performance arts program. At L’ARCHE TORONTO people with and without disabilities live together, and share their lives, learning from one another and growing together every day! L’ARCHE TORONTO is one of 147 L’Arche communities worldwide, founded by Templeton Prize recipient Jean Vanier.
