Generous donation to L’Arche sets new wheels in motion

A GENEROUS member of the local community has donated €6,000 to a charity for the intellectually disabled to provide them with a new car. 

L’Arche is an international network of communities where people with intellectual disabilities share life together. They have 149 communities in 38 countries around the world, with four of those situated in Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny and Belfast. 

L’Arche Dublin, which is based in Baldoyle, had a car in which to transport its six members. The car, a Suzuki Wagon, was unfortunately involved in a crash recently and as  a result has been deemed unusable 

Diana Walsh, from L’Arche Ireland, told Northside People: “One of our core members baptised the car ‘Momo’, which is his word for cute and small. ‘Momo’ had been with us for a while. 

“The member’s name is Aidan. It was his birthday and one of our assistants took the car to the shop and somebody else crashed into it.”

As a result of the incident, L’Arche was informed that the car could not be repaired and, according to Ms Walsh, “the insurance company offered just €600”.

In order to raise the €6,000 needed to get a suitable car for their members, L’Arche started a campaign on www.justgiving.com for people to donate. 

“We said €6,000 would be enough to get a car in a good state. It had been a week with the campaign live and we had only gotten €150 after promoting it on Facebook,” Walsh said.  

“Then an amazingly generous soul came to one of our board members and gave us the €6,000 straight away in one go.”

Walsh thanked the anonymous donor for supporting their much-needed fundraiser.

“I would like to thank them with all our hearts,” she said. 

“We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity they have given us to have a new car and keep our core members included in society. 

“What this person has shown is having the capability to help and having a good heart can change lives.

“Giving our core members and our assistants and our staff the possibility to keep doing what we’re doing on a daily basis is just absolutely priceless for us.”

According to Walsh, it is vital to have a car for their members in Dublin to set them free from their wheelchairs for a period of time during the day.

“It’s something that a lot of people take for granted but for our core members it’s one of the most special moments of the day. 

“It allows them to be free of their disability for a while and go for a ride, enjoy the moment,” Walsh said. 

“‘Momo’ was more than a car for us. ‘Momo’ was a tool of inclusion.” 

While the €6,000 has been donated for a new car, Walsh emphasised the importance of continuous fundraising for L’Arche. 

“We firmly believe that people with intellectual disabilities have a gift that they can share with the world and they should be given that chance. 

“Our main objective is to make the gift of people with intellectual disabilities known and change perceptions around them,” Walsh said. 

“If it’s possible for people to donate to L’Arche, money is always welcome because our mission doesn’t stop with a car and cars are not the only tool of inclusion that we need. 

“We have several day projects and our community in Dublin is the one that needs the most help at the moment in Ireland.  We have three houses in Dublin and the three of them need to be renovated with everything from fire safety doors to new exits.”

REPORT: Hayley Halpin