Raphael Village

Raphael Village is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting differently-abled individuals in becoming fully engaged in life and community.

We provide vocational and artist guild training, wellness programming, recreation, and intentional social inclusion for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, and other intellectual differences. At Raphael Village, we honor each member’s unique unfolding and support them in discovering purpose, meaningful work, and belonging within the wider community.

In 2025, we launched The Hive at Raphael Village, our Supported Employment Program designed to help individuals with disabilities gain integrated, competitive employment. This milestone reflects our broader vision: to create a life-sharing community that weaves day programming and residential services into the rich cultural fabric of New Orleans.

We have made significant progress toward offering residential services and look forward to sharing updates as we continue developing a life-sharing model uniquely suited to the state of Louisiana. With the support of our community and donors, Raphael Village is building a future where individuals of all abilities can live, work, and thrive together.

Testimonials

"One of the many things I enjoy about my job is that it makes me feel like I'm making this world a little bit of a better place for others. Being in service to others feels almost radical in a way. In these times being compassionate and selfless feels rebellious. I am grateful to be able to take my skills and use them to help some of our community's most vulnerable" - April W., Coworker