Hi *{{Informal Name}}*, There is so much life blooming at L'Arche Portland this summer. In recent months, we have gathered with friends from across other L'Arche communities, celebrated stories and milestones, welcomed change into our homes, and continued finding joy in the everyday moments we share. Through it all, we are reminded that this community flourishes because of the people who show up, share life, and make L'Arche Portland what it is.
We are so glad you are here, and we are in this together. |
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Join us on October 10, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Bauccio Commons for our annual Benefit Celebration!
This special evening lifts up L'Arche Portland and helps make it possible for us to continue the important work of sharing life and building community together. This year, we will honor very special recipients of the Spirit of L'Arche Award Matt and Erin Weisensee, enjoy an exciting silent and live auction, and celebrate all that makes this community so special.
Tickets will go on sale soon, and we cannot wait to have you join us! |
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| Holding Joni Close
Our beloved Joni continues to receive hospice care at Neahkahnie House, surrounded by the people and community she has shared life with for almost 40 years. She enjoys watching movies and creating art everyday! We continue to hold Joni close to our hearts during this time and warmly invite friends who know and love her to come visit and share time together. |
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Hungry for Hope
What a day it was! This year's Hungry for Hope Speaker Series with Sister Simone Campbell brought together 120 people for an afternoon of conversation, storytelling, and connection. Together, you helped us raise $10,571, surpassing our goal by 41%! We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this gathering so meaningful. |
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| Sharing Our Sacred Stories
This spring, we had the joy of welcoming the EverAble crew for the Sacred Stories project to L'Arche Portland to capture a glimpse of life in our community. Through conversations, laughter, and time spent together, they beautifully reflected the relationships at the heart of L'Arche. |
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Gathering Our Voices
Annie Rose and Jason helped facilitate the L'Arche National Consultation, joining voices from across L'Arche to reflect, listen, and help shape the future of our shared mission. They were joined by Em, Jessica B and Jessica L to represent L’Arche Portland–what a contingent! We are so proud to have such strong voices representing our community and contributing to these meaningful conversations. Listen in to hear more about the importance of inclusive leadership! |
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Together Again at Western Regional Gathering
For the first time since 2019, L'Arche communities from across the Western Region gathered together again! It felt like a family reunion, filled with friendship, laughter, reflection, and the joy of reconnecting with friends from across the L'Arche movement. We also added a few days of vacation to this trip and got to see friends and go to the zoo in Tacoma. We came home tired but with full hearts and so many wonderful memories! |
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There have been some exciting changes happening across our homes! |
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A Dream Kitchen Comes to Life!
This summer, the Neahkahnie House kitchen received a complete transformation while we were away at Regional Gathering! This long-dreamed-of project was made possible through the generosity of our community, as well as significant support from St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, Cochran Inc., and an incredibly generous anonymous donor.
The new kitchen was designed with the needs of our home in mind, to be a welcoming space for cooking, gathering, and sharing everyday life together. We are so grateful to everyone who helped bring this dream to life! |
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A Few More House Updates
The changes did not stop in the kitchen! The Neahkahnie House front door got refreshed, while Gabriel House replaced floors in the kitchen and dining room to mitigate ripped flooring that was a safety concern. These improvements may look like house projects, but they make a meaningful difference in the places we call home. |
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An Urgent Need at Neahkahnie House!
Summer is here, and we have an unexpected and urgent need at Neahkahnie House. Our air conditioning system just broke, leaving us with an unexpected cost of nearly $10,000 to replace it. With temperatures already climbing and days approaching 90 degrees, the house gets hot and we need to act quickly to keep the core members, and the assistants and staff members who spend their days here supporting them, safe and comfortable. If you are able to help us meet this unexpected need, we would be so grateful. Your support will help us keep Neahkahnie House safe and comfortable through the heat of summer. Can you help us keep Neahkahnie House cool this summer? |
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Alongside this urgent need, we continue to look ahead to important accessibility improvements at Gabriel House, including the front porch and ramp, bathroom updates, additional flooring, and a much-needed generator for Neahkahnie House. There is still important work ahead, and we are so grateful to have this community with us as we continue caring for the homes at the heart of L'Arche Portland. |
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The months ahead are full of opportunities to gather, celebrate, and share life together, and we hope you will be part of it! |
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| Teeing Off for L'Arche Portland:
We are so excited for the upcoming Cochran Golf Tournament benefiting L'Arche Portland! We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and friendship of the Cochran community and cannot wait for a wonderful day on the course in support of our mission! |
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July Events: PRIDE High Tea: July 11 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Free
Please RSVP to let us know you're planning to attend by emailing rsvp@larche-portland.org |
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Gabriel House Summer Block Party: July 19 @ 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm | Free Please RSVP to let us know you're planning to attend by clicking the button below! |
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Come Share Life With Us:
Our monthly Potluck and Circle of Light gatherings are a chance to come together, share a meal, and spend time in community. Join us on August 6, and September 3. All are invited, and we would love to have you there! Please RSVP to let us know you're planning to attend! |
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| Welcome to Gabriel House, Kat:
We are so excited to welcome Kat as the new House Leader at Gabriel House! Kat says, “I’m coming to L’Arche after spending much of my career in advocacy and leadership roles supporting people through some of life’s hardest moments. I’m excited to slow down, build authentic relationships and experience the mutuality of L’Arche where everyone has something meaningful to give and something to learn from one another.” |
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We are so grateful to have her stepping into this important role. We cannot wait for our community to get to know her better! |
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With Gratitude and So Much Love:
This season also brings change as we say goodbye to Therese, Aelis, Leo, Schuyler, and the VIA volunteers Amon and Leander. Each of them has shared their gifts, time, and life with our community, leaving their own special mark on L'Arche Portland. As they step into new adventures, we are excited to share a little about where life is taking some of them next! |
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-Therese: Is becoming a special education teacher here in Portland. She is excited to continue being part of the community in a new way!
-Aelis: Is moving into a career in project coordination/management, and is excited to join the community as a friend moving forward! -Leo: Is moving on from a full-time employee at L’Arche to work as a night-shift surgical nurse at Providence in Portland!
-Schuyler: Schuyler has been accepted into the chaplaincy residency program with Veterans Affairs. It is a bitter sweet experience for him as he has made so many friends and learned so much in the short time that he has worked here. He hopes to one day work with L'Arche again, perhaps utilizing his chaplaincy training, and is grateful for the chance to get to know and befriend his amazing colleagues and the core members.
-Amon & Leander: Are finishing their year of service with us and are both heading back to Germany! We send each of you forward with so much gratitude and love. Thank you for the ways you have helped our community flourish. You will always be part of the L'Arche Portland family! |
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Thank you for being part of L'Arche Portland and for the many ways you show up, share life, and help this community flourish. We hope you will continue to gather, celebrate, and share life with us in the months ahead. We are so grateful you are here, and that we are in this together. |
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Julia Brown Executive Director/Community Leader |
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