• 1,692 Residential and Customer Document Destruction tickets were handled in 2017.
• TIES Document Destruction program destroyed 921,841 lbs. of paper last year.
• On average, Shawnee County residents brought in 11,856 pounds of paper to be recycled for FREE each month during the year.

Learn more about TARC Industries services by visiting their website, click here.

• 747 children and their families received comprehensive, individualized supports from TARC Children’s Services.
• Staff worked to strengthen and enhance the lives of children with developmental delays and disabilities. Parents were supported with strategies to maximize early learning opportunities in daily routines that increase their children’s learning skills and reduces the reliance on special education services later in life.
• In 2017, 94 percent of outcome goals on the individualized services plans were accomplished or progress documented. Individualized service plans (ISPs) are created with families to help their child meet goals and increase participation and interaction within the family and community.
• The tiny-k infant/toddler program offered 11,805 home visits that provided 7,386.5 hours or education therapy and 6,421.5 hours of family service coordination. Seventy-two percent of all families served in TARC’s tiny-k program qualify for Medicaid.
• Twenty-five percent of children did not quality for special education at exit.
• CS continues to provide opportunities for parents and families to share information, offer support and enjoy time together. These include:
  • Tiny Alums Group
  • SibShop program with 20 children (age 5 to 14) participating in five sessions.
  • Parents and Children Together (PACT) program served 121 children and parents in 2017. TARC hosted 15 parent group activities and peer group experience. Including specific information about developmental activities such as helping your children learn to talk and how to read books with your baby.We received additional funding to support the PACT Parent Power, a project that enabled parents to earn points for engaging in activities with their children. Points can be used to win prizes or gift cards; 44 parents participated in these activities in 2017.
  • Special Parents and Respite Kare for Kids (SPARKK) takes place two Friday evenings a month to provide a safe and fun environment for children 6 months to 16 years of age with an IEP or IFSP and their siblings.TARCS’s SPARKK Program served 25 families and 50 children in the 23 sessions offered in 2017. SPARKK wouldn’t be possible without volunteers, last year 39 volunteers provided 364.25 hours of service. Families continue to report a high level of satisfaction with our SPARKK program.
  • Play groups, picnics and holiday parties that bring hundreds of families together each year.
• Children’s Residential Services served 12 children with 10 foster families participating in the program. Seventy-five percent of the children in 2017 maintained home placements.
• The Feeding Clinic offered 138 consultations/evaluations that included an interdisciplinary team of specialists to evaluate individuals who struggle with feeding, including the traditionally under-served populations of adults with intellectual limitations and children over the age of three years. Services provided include a full evaluation with intervention strategies and treatment recommendations provided for families and caregivers. The intensive feeding clinic served 13 children in 2017 providing quality interventions.
• Ninety-seven percent of families report they were satisfied/very satisfied with the quality of services they received.

• Employment Services worked with 24 people through our contract with Vocational Rehabilitation during 2017
• Employment Services provided support at 23 community work sites in 2017
• Over 63,633 hours of paid employment training was provided by TARC Industries and Employment Services.

Learn more about Employment Services, please click here.

• provided 606 hours of life skills classes in our fully functional kitchen to help participants continue to grow their kitchen skills and gain independence. Participants were able to learn about budgeting and shopping in addition to gaining cooking skills.
• provided 386 hours of aquatic therapy in our Aquatic Therapy Center. Our dedicated Aquatic Specialist and our consulting physical therapist helped persons improve gait, reduced fall risks, reduced overall body mass and increased flexibility through increased range of motion.
• provided multiple opportunities for participants to volunteer in the community giving back 1,900 volunteer hours.
  • participants volunteered weekly on one of our two routes for Meals on Wheels.
  • participants volunteered weekly at the Helping Hands Humane Society.
  • participants volunteered weekly at the Topeka Zoo.
• provided multiple opportunities with our community partners. Day Services continued to build community partnerships to allow participants to be involved in meaningful activities in our community.
  • Weekly Tai Chi Classes at the Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging
  • Weekly free outings for participants.
  • Weekly opportunities to go bowling, visit coffee shops, parks and other activities in our community.
  • Twice weekly art classes taught by an instructor from Washburn University.

In 2017, we continued bringing the community in to Day Services. In 2017, TARC was selected to as the community partner for Topeka Collegiate. Students volunteered at the annual Thanksgiving Dinner and came to sing to spread holiday cheer. We continue to have monthly presentations from the Topeka Zoo. Persons supported have the opportunity to see animals from all over the world up close and enjoy learning.