L'Arche is French for The Ark, as in Noah's Ark. That is, a safe secure place with God; a place of new beginnings, of hope, of diversity.

L'Arche is an international federation of communities where men and women with developmental disabilities and those who choose to share life with them live, work, play and pray creating a home together. Core members, persons with disabilities, make up the heart or core of our communities. The assistants are those who live and share life with them.

French Canadian Jean Vanier founded L'Arche as a Catholic organization in 1964 in Trosly, France when he invited two men with disabilities to come live with him. From this humble beginning, L'Arche has grown to include over 135 communities in 36 countries throughout the world. It has evolved into an ecumenical organization welcoming all religious traditions, and those with no tradition at all.

Each community is unique and autonomous but internationally federated. We all share a common vision of the basic dignity of each human person. We seek to create home and provide meaningful work for all our community members in an attempt to create a world where everyone, regardless of ability or disability, is recognized as being of equal value.