History of Friends of L'Arche Atlanta, Inc.
The Mission of Friends of L’Arche Atlanta is to be a sign of hope
to the greater Atlanta community by choosing to embrace the Mission
of L’Arche and open a home here in Atlanta that will live out
these core values. We believe that entire communities and the world
can be transformed through the relationships that are built in L’Arche.
Timeline of Friends of L’Arche Atlanta
• 2003 Jean Vanier leads 3-day retreat in Atlanta
• 2003 Group interested in starting L’Arche
in Atlanta meets
• 2003 - 2005 Group meets for
prayer and study of L’Arche principles
• 2005 L’Arche USA approves FOLA as pre-project
• 2005 Awarded 501(c)(3) status from IRS
• 2005 - 2007 Formed board of
directors, began announcing events, first 2 newsletters
• 2008 Launched fundraising campaign, quarterly
newsletters, announcing events at churches
• April 2009 Hired Founding Community Leader
• August 2009 Launched Gift of a Day in L’Arche
Campaign
• September 2009 L’Arche USA approves FOLA
as Project
• September 2009 Founding Community Leader/Executive Director begins
• December 2009 L’Arche USA approves Friends of L’Arche Atlanta as a Project
• June 2010 FOLA acquires first home in Decatur
• July-December 2010 Renovations and fundraising for first home
• January-June 2011 Acquire licensure from State of Georgia
• June-December 2011 Welcome assistants and core members and open first L’Arche home in Atlanta
Meet Our Executifve Director |
|||
Friends of L’Arche Atlanta is thrilled to introduce our Founding Community
Leader/Executive Director, Curt Armstrong. Curt started with Friends
of L’Arche Atlanta on September 1, 2009. Curt first came in
contact with L’Arche itself in 1990 when he lived for four
years in the community Le Levain in France. Four years later, Curt
and his wife returned to Atlanta where Curt held the position of
teacher, Chaplain and Assistant Dean at Ben Franklin Academy. In
1999, Curt and his wife also founded Atlanta’s Faith and Light
community. Faith and Light is a sister organization to L’Arche
and is a faith-based fellowship for individuals with intellectual
disabilities and their families and friends. In 2001, Curt and his
family felt called to return to L’Arche in France. Since 2001,
he has been a workshop leader and subsequently Director of Houses
in the L’Arche Levain community in Compiegne. After being
chosen as Friends of L’Arche Atlanta’s founding community
leader, Curt, his wife, Anne-Christine, and their four children
have relocated to Decatur. Please join the Friends of L’Arche
Atlanta board in welcoming Curt and his family back to Atlanta. |
|||
"We became acquainted with L'Arche through our
daughter, Cynthia, who was an assistant for three years in L'Arche in
France. We visited her there several times and were immediately drawn
into the community by the core members and assistants. We experienced
a true home full of compassion, kindness and mutual acceptance. And every
day seemed to be an occasion to celebrate! We knew would like to be a
part of something like that in Atlanta and were delighted to join the
effort to bring L'Arche to our city.
Deo gratias!"!"
- Chuck and Judy,
Friends of L'Arche Atlanta board members