News from L’Arche Chicago Fall 2014Encounter • Celebrate • Belong

We think about welcoming a lot in L’Arche. Welcoming guests to our monthly Community Nights, welcoming

friends from other L’Arche communities, welcoming volunteers to serve and accompany our community, welcoming new assistants for a year or more, and of course welcoming core members into lifelong homes of belonging and friendship in our community.

Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche International (who we’re celebrating 50 years of in 2014!), writes, “One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.”

To welcome is to make space for one another. It is first of all to prepare our hearts to receive the other. We cultivate our hearts for this growth by spending time together in forma-tion (intentional shaping of the heart), praying, and engaging in accompaniment (relationships of depth and meaning). We then make physical space for each other. We spend time at home cooking and eating, laughing, and being together.

As we’ve grown in Chicago, we have discovered a need for a new physical space for our community. It has been our dream to pur-chase a second home for over five years. During this time our faithful housing committee (Tony Abri, Ted Brzyski, Karen Cichon, Laurence Msall, and Bill Sullivan) explored and pursued a plethora of options before discovering an ideal home for us in Forest Park.

Located on a quiet residential street that’s well integrated into the community, the home will have seven bedrooms to welcome four core members and three assistants, a large eat in kitchen to be together in while cooking, a spacious living and dining room, a peaceful patio and garden, and lots of sunlight. A library is around the corner, shops and restaurants are a short walk away, and a Blue Line station is only two blocks away. We couldn’t dream of a better space to welcome our core members, assistants, and friends into!

We want to express a very special thank you to all our friends who made con-tributions and donations to make our dream to purchase a second house a reality! Your faithful support has enabled us to continue to provide lifelong homes of belonging for our core members. We can’t wait to welcome you into our new home!

Welcome to Our New Home! By Mic Altena Community Leader | Executive Director

Core member Jean Wilson shows off an original painting of her new home that’s been a lifelong dream.

Through L’Arche Chicago, I have gained many friends that are important in my life. One friendship that I hold especially dear is with Peg O’Brien. I first

met Peg while I was living at L’Arche Chicago and she taught me much that helped in my role as an assistant within the community. Early in my stay, I clearly remember a car ride we took together. As we sat in the back of the L’Arche van, which was full of core members and assistants, Peg shared stories from the early days of the community, before it became an official L’Arche. She described the visionary people who were there at the start. Through her stories, I felt connected with and grateful to the founders. Being anchored to the history strength-ened my understanding of and my investment in the mission of L’Arche. Her creative energy has brought joy to my life and the life of the community.

Peg has always been generous with her time and her talents. As a con-nector, she continuously brings people together to meet each other and learn from each other. She shows her love by welcoming people into her home and giving a warmly cooked meal from the heart. She remembers what people like and dislike, including their food allergies. She opened her home for the L’Arche community vacation one summer and we spent a wonderful week enjoying the Lincoln Park area, including trips to the zoo and the beach. She continually shared her home with the community over the years by providing a space for assistants to relax and rejuvenate during their time away. Her rooftop deck is a place of celebration where she often invites people to enjoy the view or the fireworks over the Lake.

Since my time living at L’Arche, my friendship with Peg has continued to grow. Our conversations throughout the years have given me insight into myself and the wider world. With her deep presence and thoughtful guidance, I think of Peg as a life coach to many, including myself. When I think about my life, and all the people I know, I understand that friendship is a gift and a choice. I feel blessed to have met many friends through L’Arche, especially Peg.

R ecognizing our need for one another, even beyond our own community

here in Chicago, we spent a few days with the other L’Arche communities who make up the L’Arche USA Central Region. This year, we all met in Kansas City around the theme: “Eat, Pray, and Celebrate!”

Communities from north to south, Chicago to Jacksonville (and everywhere in between), were brought together with the beautiful back-drop of Unity Village, a lush and forested retreat area just southeast of KC.

After a enjoying a night’s rest at L’Arche Clinton (thanks, Sarah Kimball!), our caravan-ning community of 13 traversed down through Iowa into Missouri where we met-up with the six other communities (Atlanta, unfortunately, could not be with us this year). Our arrival be-gan with prayer and a wonderful dinner of BBQ ribs (Elbert was certainly quite happy!).

On Tuesday, we got up and had a time of prayer near a row of beautiful fountains before heading out to the Zoo, Sea Life Aquarium, and a myriad other activities. On Wednesday, we visited the America Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum along the historic 18th and Vine District. Later, all five communi-ties prayed in the outdoor Labyrinth that served as a time of reflection and peace.

On Thursday, sadly, we had to leave the beautiful presence of our friends in L’Arche. Having had such a good time of communi-ty-building and sharing, our trip home gave us the chance to reflect on how thankful we are to be a part of the International Federation with friends all over the world!

Regional Gathering

The Gift of FriendshipBy Katie Arnold

By John Smith Development & Communications Coordinator

“The friend who can be si-

lent with us in a moment

of despair or confusion, who can

stay with us in an hour of grief and

bereavement, who can tolerate

not knowing, not curing, not heal-

ing and face with us the reality of

our powerlessness, that is a friend

who cares.” –Henri J.M. Nouwen

Regional Gathering

With the beginning of the academic year Elbert Lott celebrates five years with Sodexo at Concordia University Chicago. Elbert had

worked for several years for Esperanza in Chicago, but lost that job due to budget restrictions. Esperanza could no longer afford to keep him employed.

Elbert, who has always been a conscientious and hard worker, didn’t know what to do with himself at home. He wanted a job. He wanted something to do to feel like he was contributing and earning some spending money at the same time. I was serving as president of the board of directors for L’Arche Chicago at the time and I thought I might be able to help find Elbert a new job. Sodexo is the food service contractor at Concordia University Chicago where I work. I knew that they had a few employees with developmental disabilities and I thought they might be willing to talk to Elbert. I approached the manager and chef on Elbert’s behalf and setup an interview for him.

On the day of the interview Elbert arrived a few minutes early. The chef was finishing a kitchen staff meeting when we arrived at the cafeteria, so we had to wait a few minutes. As we were waiting Elbert looked around the dining room and saw several plates, cups, trays and various other items that students had not taken care of properly. He knew that his job would be cleaning tables and picking up dirty dishes so he decided that he might as well start while he waited. He got up and began to collect all the trays and dishes and took them to the convey-or to be washed. By the time the chef was ready to sit down and talk, Elbert had cleared all the dishes in the dining room.

The chef was so impressed by Elbert’s desire to work that he was prepared to offer him the job right there. The rest of the interview was simple formalities regarding his uniform size, how he would get to work, and when he could start. Elbert had to watch a short video about working in a Sodexo kitchen and dining room and that was it.

The sanitation procedures in the kitchen and dining room are somewhat involved, but with the help of other staff members Elbert has learned them all quite well. With the help of L’Arche assistants he learned how to get himself to Concordia using public transportation and is able to get himself to and from work.

He is well loved by all of his co-workers in the kitchen and has many friends among the students whom he serves. Congratulations Elbert!

Elbert Lott Celebrates Five Years at Concordia

Heart of L’Arche Society

The L’Arche Chicago community continues to seek individuals willing to assist us financially in accomplishing our upcoming

annual goals, the first of which is moving into our new house in Forest Park. The Heart of L’Arche Society is built upon a simple idea: Generosity.

My first visit to Angel House was marked by generosity as Elbert welcomed me and shared with me a glimpse into his life and love for music (some-thing we both love). Receiving me as a new friend, his openness and gen-erosity demonstrated, so clearly, what L’Arche is all about. I might also add that vulnerability and generosity certainly go hand-in-hand, as there always exists that possibility of rejection, though if met with love, allows us to more fully share our lives and our hopes with one another. It is out of this spirit of openness and generosity that the Heart of L’Arche Society was born.

How Do I Become a Member?A member of the Society is a friend of the community through a

unique bond of generous financial support. While not all friends of the community will become Heart of L’Arche Society members, each one who does has a unique responsibility we hope to steward well and support. To become a member, one makes a pledge of financial support for three consecutive years at a level of at least $1,000. These pledges make possible greater long-term growth and sustainability in our community.

What are the Giving Levels?Currently, we have established three giving levels in order to further

develop more concrete structures of sustainability and growth: Friendship ($1,000+); Fellowship ($5,000+); and Partnership ($25,000+). All exist for this main purpose and as well as to encourage others to be more inten-tional about their personal growth and intentionality in giving, regardless the amount. Since launching the Heart of L’Arche Society in August, we’ve had nine friends join with generous three-year pledge commitments–total-ing over $22,000/year for the next three years! We warmly invite you to join us in this movement of growth and sustainability for L’Arche Chicago!

By Pete Pohlhammer Former Board President

By John Smith Development & Communications Coordinator

We kicked off the summer with an overwhelmingly success-ful inaugural golf tournament that generated funds of over

$50,000! Our tournament, held at the picturesque Ivanhoe Country Club, was held on Monday, June 2nd. Together we enjoyed a great day outdoors playing golf (and riding golf carts!) and recognized the tre-mendous impact of two unique benefactors at our evening banquet: Ed Wehmer, Wintrust President & CEO, and Bishop Raymond Goedert, our friend and bishop who blessed our founding community home, Angel House. Presenting both with our Spirit of L’Arche award, the two gentle-men stood as icons of generosity and leadership in our community.

Anne, Tim, Christianne, Elbert, Olivia, Chris, and Rebecca from Angel House traveled to Minnesota in August to visit Anne’s family. In addition to meeting all of Anne’s amazing family, they also attended the Minnesota State Fair and visited the Science Museum of Minnesota… and Chris even got to meet the CBS News anchors at the State Fair!

John, Jessica, Elbert, and Jean made an annual visit to L’Arche Clinton and Jo Anne Horstmann’s farm. Elbert especially enjoyed the days of fishing and being in the outdoors; he was eager to share his fresh water catch with us back home in Chicago!

A sunny Sunday afternoon set a perfect setting for our annual Ice Cream Social in August, proudly back from a plague of rainy Sundays of years past. Our hosts Theresa and Dwight Atchley warmly welcomed all our friends for a lovely (and tasty!) afternoon that also helped us raise over $2,500 in donations!

In September we celebrated our 14th anniversary along with a very special Jubilee celebration for our anniversary of 50 years of L’Arche around the world! Our community, friends, family, and guests enjoyed a beautiful evening in the elegance of the grand ballroom of the Carleton Hotel in Oak Park. We were especially grateful to welcome our founding director Sr. Maria Zeimen and founding board member and former L’Arche Trosly assistant Gerry McAuliffe to share our stories from the past. Our Community Co-ordinator Luca Badetti and core member Noah Cichon, accompa-nied by his parents, also shared the touching stories of their own experiences in our community. We were overwhelmed to raise $67,000 in support of our core members and shared community life during and leading up to the event through our 50|50 match-ing challenge campaign from a generous $25,000 anonymous do-nation! These funds represent the down payment on our beautiful, and much needed, new home in Forest Park!

This summer we bid farewell to assistants Colleen Tighe, Catie Norcott, Alison Kopit, and Olivia Myers. Each brought special gifts that we continue to hold with us. And we said a very special and fond farewell to Donn Rabbe, our former board president, and wife Carol for their many years of friendship and service while living in Chicago. May they find many new blessings in their new home in Arizona!

This spring we welcomed new assistants Julius Hofmann from Germany, Jessica White from Iowa, and Rebecca Jin from China. In the fall we welcomed Hannah Busch from Germany and Sara Bortolotti from Italy. So much new life in our community has brought so much joy!

We’re looking forward to Elisha and Christianne’s performance in the Lyons Township Theatre production of the Little Mermaid on November 22nd & 23rd!

Community Highlights

Other$3,721 (1%)

Program Services$419,934 (73%)

Special Event Net Revenue$43,374.34 (7%)

State Funding$505,191 (81%)

Management$134,206 (23%)

Contributions$70,789 (11%)

Fundraising$21,156 (4%)

Beloved L’Arche Family,

The year 2013-2014 may be characterized as a year of abundance, joy, and fruitful transitions. As many of you know, we welcomed Mic Altena as Community Leader and Executive Director to guide us through the com-pletion of our mandate. L’Arche Chicago also welcomed new staff members and assistants. At the center of it all: our core-members. What a great year it’s been with them and with you!

L’Arche Chicago finished 2013-2014 with a $47,781 net surplus. Reim-bursements from the State of Illinois remain unstable with frequent delays. To mitigate against the current economic climate of the State of Illinois, this year L’Arche Chicago intentionally worked to diversify its non-governmen-tal sources for revenue income. A few highlights are worth mentioning:

1. The L’Arche Chicago Inaugural Golf Classic was held at Ivanhoe Country Club on Monday, June 2, 2104. The golf outing was an enormous success with net revenue exceeding $50,000. We are delighted to confirm that the Second Annual Golf Classic will take place next year on June 8, 2015.

2. The L’Arche Jubilee Anniversary Banquet was held at the Carleton Hotel in Oak Park. The annual banquet was a wonderful success with over 150 supporters from throughout the Chicagoland area, raising over $67,000 when combined with a generous, anon-ymous donation of $25,000 that was doubled to $50,000 by our supporters leading up to the banquet.

3. The annual ice-cream social set a new record not only with atten-dance but also with donations. Several hundred L’Arche supports attended with donations totaling over $2,500.

4. The launching of the Heart of L’Arche Society to develop a sustainable funding base for L’Arche Chicago. Members pledge $1,000 or more per year, which will provide essential funding. To date there is over $22,000 pledged.

5. A robust effort was launched to seek major grants from institutes, foundations, and private donors.

The aforementioned efforts contributed to the realization of a long-term goal. After many years of effort and hard work, on October 21st, 2014, L’Arche Chicago purchased its second home in Forest Park. This acquisition allows L’Arche Chicago to continue to honor its commitment to its core member as well as to further announce the spirit of L’Arche in the Chicago-land area.

I am thankful for the opportunity to serve our community and I am most grateful that, together, we are able to live the mission and vision of Jean Vanier as a sign of hope. I am energized as we move forward.

Sincerely,Anthony Suárez-AbrahamPresident, L’Arche Chicago

L’Arche Chicago Annual ReportJuly 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014

Income Expenses

$575,295$623,076

Donations in Memory of:Arlene BozekLeona Shelly

Donations in Honor of:Noah Cichon

Foundations & Organizations:Coleman Cable Inc.Ernst & YoungW.W. Grainger, Inc.Ruben Harris Living TrustJP Morgan Chase FoundationKnights of Columbus-IL State CouncilLaChapelle Family FoundationLake Forest Bank and TrustLibertyville Bank and TrustMilhouse CharitiesMinuteman PressMurray FoundationNew Melleray AbbeyPrudential Foundation Matching GiftsSisters of St. FrancisThe Coleman FoundationThird Order St. Francis Hospital Sisters of St. FrancisWoods Fund of Chicago

Individuals:Tony & Janet AbriTimothy AndrianoJulie ArchibaldCharles Aschauer, Jr.John & Janet BaarJames & Hope BabowiceAdam & Alexandra BaigRandy & Linda Balla Anita BanasDr. John BarrettDennis BelcastroSamantha BenderMartin Berg & Gina OrlandoRobert L. BernerJohn & Marie BiggsRobert BiggsMardy BlochJohn & Mary BonkBarbara BorilRose Marie BorrelliVittorina BoscoHelen BourkeBonnie BozekJohn & Jeanie BrabeckMichael & Jeannette BuchananBernard & Cynthia BuchholzKristina BurgerThomas ButlerMarjorie Carey

Lorayne CascinoDolores CentkaDelilah ChanDavid & Mary Susan ChenMelody CibockRon & Karen CichonNick ConnellSr. Rosemary ConnellyGenevieve ConnorPhilip CordesJoseph & Susan CoughlinPatrick CoyleJohn & Mary CrawfordJames & Janalee CroegaertFr. Robert CrossKenneth Cuculich & Carol BularzRichard DeCleeneMatt DeFanoThomas DeflorioColleen DelaneyFran DelaneyCatherine Mary DennyTimothy & Ann DevereuxBill & Tesse DonnellyMichael DonovanPhil DornTom & Pat DoyleBrian DunnJacqueline & Sandra DuponJohn DylongThomas & Laurie EganGloria EngstromMargaret C. FasanoWalter R. FawcettTara FlanaganSarah FlosiDan & Kathleen FoleySpencer FoonMichael FreemanEsther E. FreyCharles GatelyCarol L. GloorBp. Raymond GoedertMabel R. GraceDavid Griffin & Susan WarnerJames & Mary Kehoe GriffinWilliam D. HagertyJohn & Julia HaleyMaureen HanlonSuzanne Haraburd & David StromKim HarrisonRichard H. HeidkampMarie HolcombCatherine M. HoppePeter HorosJo Anne HorstmannDon HosekGrace B. HouStephen & Judy HumowieckiGertrude JohnsonKenneth Johnson

Bellene KaishJames KargmanChristopher & Elizabeth KeysKathy Kiebala & Ed RawskiRose Marie KnightJoe & Jane KollerJeri KozicaJeffrey KratowiczZenon & Dorothy KrolPat KuzmakDana La ChapelleKlaus & Florence LangeJoyce Tasch LennonHenan LiMarianne LoftusCatherine MadayagKathy Marino Lorena MartinezFrank MauceriChet & Lillian MaziarzPatrick & Charlaine McAnanyJack & Geraldine McAuliffeJames & Linda McCrearyDr. Katherine McDonaldWilliam L. McDonald, JrMary J. McEneryE. Corinne McGrailJohn & Laura McNamaraHelen MendozaErnie MiyashitaRose Marie MonellaM.G. MoranRichard MoreauAnita MsallCamille MsallLaurence & Mary Jo MsallLucille MsallFrank & Eileen MurielloStephen NazaranPat NelsonJohn NewhouseBradley NewmanMichael NewtonKenneth NovakTom O’DonnellFrank & Anita O’Hara Katie O’NeillMargaret Mary O’NeillJohn & Mary Terese OrmsbyJames O’SheaSusann OzukSoeren PalumboFrances PiconeRodney PierceyRick & Peggy PlastinaKen PomeranzLinda PrestonDonn & Carol RaabeBp. George RassasTom & Catherine ReedyJames & Marianne Richards

Richard & Mildred RileyKathleen RivetRich RodriguezMichael RoeskeAdam & Ellen Romeiser, Jr.Robert & Debra RossGeorge E. RuebensonWilliam & Jolanta SanderMarie SchaeferSusan SchaeferJohn & Leah SchautMichael & Marcia SchumacherMichael SengAlison SeraphinRay Simons & Janet McNicholsJohn & Jessica SmithCharles & Barbara SmithJohn F. SmithObie Jay III & Audrey SmithMarilynn SniderRichard & Louise SnyderJames & Karen SockeSally SommersBarbara SoricelliFrank & Carol SpaleJack & Joan SpataforaEugene StangEdward StepnowskiFr. Ted StoneAnthony & Leah Suarez-AbrahamTheresa SullivanWilliam & Cheryl SullivanJoseph & Audrey TaylorFrank Tenbrink & Jeannie ClearyKathleen TerborgRobert ThrushAnnette TowlerAnnie TrudeauNicole VandervoortJoan VinklerJamie VisserMatthew & Lisa WalshRosella WaltersPaul WasikowskiCathy Weigel-FoyMary A. WenskaBernard & Marie WheelDewey & Ann WhitedFrank WiednerJudith WilkeBarbara WittKendra WrightYoshiko Kiyoshi YamakiGary YetmanJohn & Carol ZajacSr. Maria ZeimenRay ZeimenRobert ZeimenMarty J. ZiemerCarol ZajacDr. R. Allan & Carol Ann Zimmer

We are so grateful to all of our donors for their generosity throughout Fiscal Year 2014.Below are individuals and organizations that donated to L’Arche for the period July 1, 2013–June 30, 2014.

L’Arche Chicago is a community of faith where life is shared between people with and without intellectual disabilities.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSAnthony Suarez-Abraham, PresidentJoe Koller, TreasurerHelen Mendoza, SecretaryTim AndrianoAmina GhalyounFr. Greg HelminskiJim RichardsBill SullivanJohn Biggs

L’Arche Chicago1011 Lake Street, Suite 403 Oak Park, IL 60301

(708) 660-1600www.larchechicago.org

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidOak Park, ILPermit No. 124

Our IdentityWe are people with and without developmental disabilities sharing life in communities of faith.

Mutual relationships and trust in God are at the heart of our life together.

We seek to build a world that recognizes the unique value of every person and our need for one another.larchechicago.org.