Above: Jen and Kathryn, a member of L'Arche Connects, enjoy an evening at Building Community, an annual fundraising gala for L'Arche Saint John.
I have been carrying a centimetre-thick stack of baseball cards in my purse for the last three days.
They were entrusted to me by one of the participants in the new L'Arche Connects Outreach program. As he handed them to me, he explained in his soft spoken way that he had met another member of the L'Arche Saint John community at the bowling party that UCT Jack Kidd Council #755 hosted for us in February and they had discovered a mutual interest in baseball.
Following their discussion, our outreach participant, in his thoughtfulness, went home and chose these baseball cards from his own collection and brought them to me to pass on to his new friend.
This is one of many stories of connection that have been coming to fruition thanks to our new Outreach program.
Most weeks, a group of fifteen families gather on Tuesday evenings at the Saint John Arts Centre. These adults with a disability along with their parents or caregivers join us as we explore a multitude of topics related to future planning for independent living.
We have been fortunate in so many ways with this program: from having access to a number of top notch professionals who have graciously shared their expertise on a variety of relevant topics to being able to host our event in such a dignified and beautiful space. Of course we've also been extremely blessed by the generosity of donors to make this program a reality.
Still, despite all of these great aspects, I think all agree that what really makes the program so special is the opportunities for connections between the participants that our program has fostered.
Parents and grandparents who have been navigating the system for years and decades are quick to share their best tips. Every parent and grandparent is quick to offer support and encouragement to one another whether it's expressing worry about their loved one's future or celebrating a milestone or a win. I delight in witnessing the genuine looks of excitement and welcome that are on the faces of these parents as they see other families arrive each week.
Similar looks are on the faces of the young adults with disabilities when they come into the room too. Every week, Catherine, L'Arche Connects Program Assistant, and I are told by numerous participants just how much getting to know one another has meant to them.
When we receive such profuse thanks, all we can do is turn it back to them -- we try to remind them that it is their willingness to open themselves to relationships that is making this program a success. I am humbled and deeply touched by the generosity of spirit of each of our participants -- whether it's sharing information on navigating an application process or passing on some beloved baseball cards to a new friend.
Making connections and building relationships is where L'Arche thrives and what we love to do. We are so happy to see that L'Arche Connects Outreach is living up to its name and delivering on that dream!
Jennifer Fabrizi
L'Arche Connects Program Leader
L'Arche Connects Program Leader