About L’Arche Heartland
Our Mission
In 1987, L’Arche Heartland began a journey where persons with and without intellectual disabilities began sharing their life in community and became a member of the International Federation of L’Arche. As we continue to trust God in our journey, our mission is to:
Make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships.
Foster an environment in community that responds to the changing needs of our members, while being faithful to the core values of our founding story.
Engage in our diverse cultures, working together toward a more human society.
L'Arche Heartland focuses on relationships and recognizes that every individual regardless of their ability has a gift to share with our world. Through sharing daily life, we strive to discover and share these gifts with the broader community of Johnson County. We gather regularly as a community to foster relationship with one another as we create a place of belonging for people of all abilities.
Featured Story
“When I first moved to L’Arche Heartland, I had a pretty good idea that it wouldn’t be ‘just a job.’”
L’Arche Heartland Leadership
Nicole Kaufmann
Executive Director/Community Leader
Kyra Padgett
Community Coordinator
Michael Engelmann
Quality Care Coordinator
James Mickens
Recruitment/Development Coordinator
Halston Livingston
Day Service Coordinator
Would you like to find a spiritual outlet for the use of your professional skills? Consider joining the L'Arche Heartland Board of Directors or Leadership!
Our History
In 1983 Dr. George Harris wrote a letter to L’Arche Daybreak asking for more information about L’Arche. His letter was forwarded to Sr. Christella Buser in Winnipeg, Canada. Christella, a native Kansan, returned to her home state in late 1983 after being commissioned by L’Arche International to begin the establishment of L’Arche in the Kansas City area.
In July of 1984 the first board of directors meeting was held. Founding board members included; Dr. George Harris, Linda Sinclair, Dr. Rod Turnbull III, Mark Henke, Ed White, and Norma Schlick, CSJ.
In 1984-85 the group began looking for a home to begin L’Arche. Christella was given an anonymous donation to purchase the home. Several attempts to purchase a home were blocked by city councils citing disrupted parking and depreciation of home values.
“In 1984, Christella Buser and her Board were ready to buy a house and begin a new community. They had chosen the neighborhood and explained their project to some of the neighbors. But when they presented it to the Municipal Council it was rejected: other neighbors had protested; they did not want people with mental handicaps in their neighborhood. And they won! The Board and the neighbors went through the same scenario three more times. Then Christella organized a whole network of friends who sent letters and telegrams to the Municipal Council; she and Board members made personal visits to senators. Finally, in 1986, they were able to change the zoning laws and buy a duplex in Overland Park, Kansas. We are still very far from being a world that welcomes people with handicaps.”
April 1, 1987 L’Arche Heartland welcomed their first core members. The welcoming team was composed of Sr. Christella and Virginia Pearl, CSJ. In June they were joined by Lisa Wagner and in July by Sr. Lucy Walter. The first community night was held January 12, 1988, a tradition which continues to this day.
Join Our Team
Become an Assistant
An assistant at L’Arche Heartland is a person without an intellectual/developmental disability who uses his/her gifts to support the core members (adults in community with an intellectual/developmental disability). There are three different types of assistants at L’Arche Heartland: Live-in Assistants, Live-out Assistants, and Day Service Assistants. All three types of assistants are employees of the community and must pass state mandated background checks, have a high school diploma, be 21 years of age with a clean driving record, and have an open heart desiring to engage in community life. Hours and compensation for the different types of assistant vary, but all full time assistants (30 hours or more per week) include Medical / Dental / Vision insurance paid 100% by the community, and two weeks paid vacation in the first year.
The role of an assistant is both rewarding and challenging. Coming from various walks of life, all assistants are expected to be reflective of their experience in community and be committed to personal growth.
Role Description – Live-in Assistant
Role Description – Live-out Assistant
Role Description – Day Service Assistant
We are always recruiting prospective assistants to grow our team! Please email James at james@larcheks.org letting him know you’d like to apply!
If you are interested in more information regarding employment as an assistant at L’Arche Heartland please email: james@larcheks.org.
About Our Team
Leadership:
Nicole Kaufmann - Community Leader
Nicole has been a part of the L’Arche community since 2010, starting out as a live-in assistant. After a little over a year in the community, she felt called to attend Drew Theological School in New Jersey. She came back to L’Arche as a Coordinator in 2015, but left in 2017 after she had her son Theo so she could focus on being a mom. Nicole was invited to back to be the Community Leader in 2021. Nicole’s two favorite things are her son, Theo and her dog, Charlie. Charlie can often be seen in the L’Arche office, trying to steal pens from everyone’s desks. Theo and her love to spend time outside and playing games, and you will usually see her with an oat milk latte in her hand. Her favorite movie is Paul Blart: Mall Cop #2. Nicole loves that she gets to lead this community that she cares so much about everyday.
Michael Engelmann - Community Care Coordinator
Michael’s current role at L’Arche Heartland is Community Care Coordinator or more popularly known as Sarah Engelmann’s brother. He has been part of the L’Arche Heartland community since November of 2010. During that time, Michael went back to school for his associates at Johnson County Community College and got his BS in Marketing from WGU. Michael then married his beautiful wife Ashley in 2014 and just added their son Theo to the family in 2022. In his free time, Michael loves to bowl and play disc golf. Michael’s goal at L’Arche Heartland is to create a welcoming and safe environment for all core members, their families, and assistants.
Kyra Padgett - Administrative Coordinator
Kyra was born and raised in Kansas City and has always had a passion for helping people. She got her BA in secondary education and theatre at William Jewell College, hoping to start a theatre program at a high school in Kansas City that didn’t yet have one. During her first year of teaching in 2019, she met her now-husband Joel and they decided to start a family together, pushing her original plans of teaching to further in the future. Kyra and Joel married in 2020 and she was able to adopt her step-daughter, Mia, in 2021. In 2021, they had their son, Phoenix, and they just had their son Canyon in May of 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys coffee, reading, music, fashion, and enjoying the outdoors with her family and three dogs. Kyra loves that she found L’arche Heartland and is able to use her passion for helping others in the L’arche community everyday.
Halston Livingston - Community Coordinator
Halston has been with the L’Arche community since 2015, beginning her time here as an assistant. Her many years of experience in the homes has enabled her to be the perfect fit for this position, understanding both the core members and the assistants in an essential way. Halston loves Nicole’s dog, Charlie, and is frequently found on the floor with him or sneaking him snacks under her desk. She loves plants, concerts, and food. She is a huge fan of coffee, as is most of the office staff, and is very often drinking a cold brew with chocolate milk. Halston loves how her position allows her to help make sure the core members are receiving the best care possible.
James Mickens - Recruitment Coordinator
James is a seasoned Spoons player, dynamic cheesecake baker, and award-winning writer of cat monologues. And. Yet. L'arche is where he has returned time and time again, off and on since 2012, for his greatest adventure: servant leadership at L'arche Heartland. Having dedicated his life to random acts of kindness with a pinch of madness, he now spends his time trying to find kind, compassionate, and intelligent people to work with the Core Members he grew to love while serving L'arche as an assistant. In his free time, he can be found enjoying full-contact book clubs and scouting exotic countries for the world's best foods.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Douglas Bittel, Ph.D. - Board President
Course Director & Adjunct Associate Professor of Biosciences, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
Martha Fleming - Secretary
Targeted Case Manager, Retired
Jeff Crowe - Treasurer
President, Blackbird Financial Services
Burton Haney - Board Member
Regional Accounts Manager, Ansell Healthcare