Support L’Arche Solidarity today! New t-shirt available.

“I need you and you need me. Together we’re L’Arche.” Wise words from Core Member and Founding Mother Debbie Essler. In these challenging times, it can be easy to forget that to be L’Arche is to be part of something much bigger than one house, one community, or one country. We’re all in the same boat! From now until July 22, 2020, join us as we come together in support of L’Arche International Solidarity and our brothers and sisters around the world facing the coronavirus pandemic with limited resources. Purchase Shirt Here

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2018 Shared Living Comes Home

On March 3, 2018, L’Arche Boston North celebrated their first Shared Living opportunity with Core Member, Fran, and long-time assistant (now the Community Outreach and Development Coordinator) Molly! Shared living is an ideal setup for many people who would like to be in the L’Arche community but not live in a group home.

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2019 Cummings Grant

The 100 thousand-dollar grant was presented to L’Arche Boston North to help expand the Homemade Hummus brand sold at the Haverhill Farmer’s Market. New ways of distributing hummus are now in the works thanks to the Cummings Grant!

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2019 The Longest Table

The Longest Table was a complete success, gathering restaurants and guests from all over New England to take part in sharing the L’Arche Boston North table. Wingate Street was transformed for the evening in to a family-style outdoor dining experience to promote our mission of inclusion and acceptance regardless of any person’s ability

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2018 L’Arche Boston North’s 35th Anniversary

With 35 years having flown by, L’Arche Boston North celebrated with a well-deserved gala! The gala featured a guest appearance from Michael McDonald and Amber Herkey, the team behind the acclaimed L’Arche International Web Series #AsIAm.

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2017 Home Made Hummus

2017 brought with it a tasty and exciting new venture! Every other week during the Haverhill Farmer’s Market, L’Arche Boston North features new and unique flavors that could only come from a L’Arche Kitchen. Hummus sales are huge and are very often sold out entirely!

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2015-2016 New Handicapped Accessible Home

In fulfillment of our “mission’s promise” we opened a new home in September 2016. This new fully handicap accessible home will enable us to safely and comfortably provide for our aging core members. This home replaces “Gandhi House” which was part of our community homes for over 15 years. We are excited to start making long lasting memories in this home, which we have named Pat House, after Sister Pat Murphy, our beloved founding assitant Sr. Pat Mur. This home was needed for our aging core members who need easy access entrances to come home to and the accessibility of one level living. This home is located in Merrimac, MA, close to the Haverhill border. It is home to 5 core members and the assistants who share time with them.

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2009-Today

With 17 core members and 35 assistants (everyone is considered an assistant, including the community leader, assistant director, etc.), several volunteers and countless friends, L’Arche Irenicon is a healthy community of people leading simple lives in the L’Arche tradition. Like all L’Arche communities in the United States, L’Arche Irenicon in Haverhill, MA is an ecumenical community and welcomes people from all faith and traditions as well as atheists. Life at L’Arche Irenicon is busy and active. At the center of community life are the Thursday night gatherings for prayer and special celebrations. Celebrations and rituals have and always will anchor the community in the L’Arche traditions.

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2006-2008 Further Changes

In September of 2006, Swanna accepted the mandate of Director on our 23rd Anniversary as a community.  Another outcome of evaluation of community’s needs was the purchase and renovation of 9 Sussex Court in Bradford to potentially accommodate handicapped residents. The office staff grew as well, with the addition of Pam McGrath, as Director of Development and Outreach, fulfilling a dream of Irenicon, and Tom Murphy, a former Head of House, as Recruitment Specialist.

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2004-2005 Leadership

In November of 2004, we relocated the Irenicon offices from Washington Street to 57 Wingate Street in Haverhill, where we remain today though we moved from the 3rd floor to the ground floor in 2008. Swanna Champlin became our Interim Director/Program Director in December, 2004 by then in community over two years.

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