L’Arche Cleveland strives to be a true home for all who come. As our Core Members have aged, we have done our best to make sure they can remain at home safely and comfortably.

In 2016, L’Arche Cleveland made a commitment to update our housing stock as Core Members aged. We needed to find housing with first-floor bedrooms so that we could fulfill our promise of being a home for life. After five years of searching, we finally achieved our goal. We purchased our final home. Once the renovations were complete, all of our Core Members lived in fully accessible homes. Our homes were the center of our Community. They were where our Core Members and assistants shared life together and formed bonds.

Our newest home transformed the lives of Adam, Pat, and David. They no longer need to worry about climbing stairs or navigating narrow doorways. Having a fully accessible home allows us to continue living out our mission fully, even as our Core Members’ physical needs change with age.

Our new home is on Colony Drive in Highland Heights. It was a sprawling ranch with four bedrooms and large, open living spaces. Over the course of a year, our contractor worked to widen doorways, tear down walls, and completely renovate the bathroom in order to make the home fully accessible.

When the renovation was complete, Adam, Dave, and Pat moved into the house in the beginning of December. The home quickly became the community gathering space. Because of the large, open living room, it was perfect for community gatherings. Our first community event at the home was our holiday gift exchange, and ever since, we have hosted countless community prayer events, birthday parties and holiday celebrations.

Right after the holidays, Eddy moved into the house on Colony Drive and quickly settled into a routine with his housemates. He loved watching train videos with Adam, laughing at Dave’s endless nicknames, and enjoying morning coffee with Pat at breakfast. Once everyone had adjusted to their new home, the whole crew sat down to decide on a name. Since it was the only all-male Core Member home, someone suggested “King House,” but it didn’t quite feel right. Then “Peace House” came up, inspired by the calm, quiet neighborhood. In the end, they combined both ideas and landed on the perfect name: King of Peace House.