Welcome to L’Arche Daybreak

L’Arche Daybreak welcomes men and women with intellectual disabilities and the assistants who live, work and learn with them. People are drawn to our community from all over the world seeking a different way of life and bringing with them a wide range of beliefs, backgrounds and qualifications. Inspired by a desire to make a difference with their lives, assistants who come discover a sense of purpose that is born out of the challenge of community life. The orientation and training program for assistants fosters personal growth, competence and lasting friendships.

In a world that often sees people with intellectual disabilities as less than whole, L’Arche celebrates their creativity, transparency and great capacity for joy as important gifts to be shared. Started by Jean Vanier in France in 1964, L’Arche has become an international movement with over 100 communities throughout the world. Founded in 1969 in Richmond Hill, Ontario, L’Arche Daybreak is the oldest L’Arche community in North America.

Many local friends participate in our community life as volunteers. Other friends, students and visitors attend our worship services or retreats at Dayspring, our spiritual centre. L’Arche Daybreak is a dynamic example of how people of different intellectual capacity, social origin and culture can live and learn together.

Next > Our Homes

Visit our "News" section for more about us.

(return to main page >)

Life in L'Arche is simple: we welcome four or five people with disabilities to live with four or five assistants. Together we create homes of welcome and celebration, sharing the daily tasks of cooking, cleaning, and shopping: and the assistants help marginalized people to claim dignity, self-confidence, and respect in the home and in meaningful work opportunities. The great discovery for assistants has been that our lives in community have been good not only for them but also for us.”

Sue Mosteller, Member of L’Arche Daybreak