Twenty-six Heart of L'Arche members gathered at the beautiful SW Portland home of Steve and Marypat Hedberg. Amber Sagnotti of Alexana Winery poured five different vintages for our enjoyment and education while Andrew Biggs of Hunt and Gather Catering whipped up an assortment of hors d'ouevres, including a cheese and charcuterie board, crab bisque, chanterelle tarts, lentil patties, and braised oxtail on Yukon gold potato pancakes.
Core member Ben Miller and live-in assistant Ilana Weber, who are housemates at Neahkahnie House, joined us, sharing what they value in each other and in the community of belonging that is L'Arche Portland. Then, we gathered in small groups to share a bit about ourselves, our goals, and how we connect with L'Arche Portland's mission. The conversations were lively and the stories deeply touching.
These faithful stewards who have signed up as Heart of L'Arche members help us build community and belonging for people with and without intellectual disabilities each and every day. Because of their generosity, we are able to live more fully into our mission; providing spiritual formation and retreats for assistants, core members, and extended community members; supporting one-to-one time (for Ben to work on his reading goals or play video games in companionship, for example); bringing salaries closer to sector medians to improve staff retention; and offering growth opportunities to emerging leaders.
If you would like more information about joining the Heart of L'Arche Society, please contact Tamara Yates at tamara@larche-portland.org or call us at 503-251-6901. We are excited to announce that The Hedinger Family Foundation will match new or increased donations of $2,000 or more made in the calendar year of 2016, up to $20,000. Now is a great time to join the Heart of L'Arche Society and take advantage of this match!
Enjoy our gallery of images from our April 8 winetasting event: