Client Stories
A Deeper Sense of Community
L’Arche Café
L’Arche Café provides meaningful employment for people with developmental disabilities, and enables the public to interact with and get to know them.
Operating in 40 countries worldwide, L’Arche works with the developmentally disabled in the interest of each person playing his or her full role in society.
Gerry Wolfram is Outreach and Accompaniment Coordinator for L’Arche Winnipeg, which began in 1973.
“The notion of a L’Arche café or bistro has been developing in this community for many years. If you were to visit any of our six group homes in Winnipeg, you would be greeted, warmly welcomed by the members and probably asked to stay for a meal. And around the table, you would find life shared in all its fullness. The L’Arche Café is conceived as a way to make manifest the gifts of persons with a developmental disability within the larger community,” explains Wolfram.
SEED was contracted by L’Arche Winnipeg to develop their café project into a social enterprise. Carinna Rosales is Director of SEED’s Business Development Services, which works with individuals, partnerships, cooperatives, social enterprises and community-owned businesses.
By becoming part of the life and work of L’Arche Winnipeg, I have gained a deeper sense of community from the people around me.
“For L’Arche Winnipeg, the outcome has been a completed feasibility study and business plan that has provided more concrete business information and a roadmap that will assist them to further pursue the opening of L’Arche Café and move the dream closer to a reality. It’s great that L’Arche is excited about social entrepreneurship and is making connections in this field,” says Rosales.
L’Arche Café will offer fair trade tea and coffee, and internationally inspired meals. The café will provide meaningful employment for people with developmental disabilities, and enable the public to interact with and get to know them.
“By becoming part of the life and work of L’Arche Winnipeg, I have gained a deeper sense of community from the people around me,” says Wolfram. “We have much to celebrate and much to learn from each other.”
For café details, visit www.larchewinnipeg.org
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