Moved to Action

One day a government inspector was in the Ontario home. He noted that Elizabeth was having trouble walking. He said to me, "You know, when she can't use the stairs any more, we'll put her in a nursing home." We'd dreamed for years of a wheelchair accessible home but there'd always been more than we could do without taking on a capital campaign and building or buying an accessible home. That inspector's casual comment triggered action. There was no way Elizabeth was going to a nursing home. She'd already spent decades in Forest Haven, Washington, DC's notorious institution for people with intellectual disabilities. Shep Abell agreed to chair a $2.5 million capital campaign and the Taylor family made a large lead gift. We reached our goal in December 2005. The Ontario home was completely renovated to make it wheelchair accessible, including an elevator. Elizabeth inspired action, but she died before the renovation was completed - and while she was still able to negotiate stairs. The home's being wheelchair accessible, though, enabled another dream to come true - Walton was able to move in, joining his brother Johnny who had already lived in L'Arche for more than a decade.

John, daily life member (1996-present)