2018 Annual Report
TARC enhances the lives of people affected by intellectual, developmental and related disabilities through commitment to excellence in service, support and advocacy.
TARC was formed by a small group of local families in 1954. The families were all seeking to improve the lives of their children with intellectual disabilities. In the last sixty-five years, TARC has grown to serve over 2,500 individuals and families in the Topeka and Shawnee County area providing service, support and advocacy.
Last year, more than 400 individuals, 90 businesses and seven foundations chose to support TARC and our programming, including you! Without your support and generosity, TARC would not be able to continue to our work to help everyone reach their fullest potential. Ninety (90) cents of every dollar donated to TARC directly benefits programs and services provided to children, families and adults with developmental, intellectual and related disabilities in our community.
Because of your generosity, TARC provided services and supports to 1,371 children and adults in 2018.
Letter from the Board president
Happy 65th Birthday TARC!
What a monumental milestone for TARC this year, 65 years of serving individuals and families that are seeking to improve the lives of their children with intellectual disabilities.To think that TARC was formed in 1954 by a small group of families, serving only 24 families, and has grown to serve over 1,364 families is amazing!!
The infant-toddler program, known as the tiny-k, served 804 children and their families this year at no cost to them. TARC Industries has partnered with over 500 local and national companies to meet sub-contracting, mailing, and printing document destruction needs. TARC Industries is our non-profit production facility that provides employment opportunities and work related experiences for persons with developmental disabilities.
TARC has made many strides to follow their mission “to provide service, support and advocacy to enhance the lives of people affected by intellectual, developmental and related disabilities.”
TARC has been a part of my life and my family’s life since 1991, with their knowledge, guidance and continued support we made it through many challenges. As the board president, I see that same level of support being distributed to the many families that are being served by TARC.
Annual events such as Winter Wonderland, the TARC Golf Tournament, to name a few, have raised funds to continue our much needed services to children and adults.
We are looking forward to 2019 with our amazing staff, leadership team, the Operating an Foundation Boards working hard to keep the vision and the mission of TARC moving forward. Each day our organization shows dedication and commitment to provide support and to make a difference to the families they serve. I would like to end with our vision statement, “all people including those with intellectual developmental and related disabilities experience life to their potential.”
Thank you for your continued support of TARC,
Karen Moore
TARC, Inc. Board President
Program Highlights
804 Children were served in TARC’s tiny-k program in 2018.
All services and supports provided to children and their families in our tiny-k program are at no cost to the families and with no wait list.
33 individuals were supported in enclave placements by Employment Services.
An enclave is a contracted training work site, often employing multiple people, working together as a team.
262 individuals and their families benefitted from targeted Case Management.
Case Managers assist with navigating the disability systems, actively advocate on the persons behalf and identify and obtain needed resources and supports.
More than 260 hours of life skills classes were provided to participants in Day Services.
Adults in our Day Services Program are supported to gain independence, increase life skills, build confidence and pursue their areas of interest.
154 Adults received more than 63,000 hours of paid employment training at TARC Industries.
Adults employed through TARC Industries benefit from employment opportunities that provide work related experiences.
99 participants hired their own support staff for day, residential or both through TARC’s Self-Determination.
Self-determination participants gain more control over how funds are expended, take on the responsibility of directing their services and become an active, contributing member in their community.
My career was spent in non-profits. It was during those years I saw first hand the role that donors and volunteers can play in enhancing the scope and quality of available resources and services.
I’ve always had a passion for helping people be all that they can be so TARC’s vision that all people, including those with intellectual, developmental and related disabilities experience life to their potential truly speaks to my heart!
Seeing the results of TARC’s work through service, support and advocacy make it an easy choice to give of my time as a board member, volunteer and financial contributor. The commitment of all levels of staff inspires me to do what I can to support their work.
Through my volunteer work at TARC my hope is that I have helped one person feel valued, grow in their self-confidence and self-esteem and to help them find joy in everyday activities such as cooking and gardening.”
Financials
In 2018, TARC served 1,364 individuals and families through our programming.
Fundraising events help contribute to filling funding gaps for TARC. Thanks to the generosity of our community our annual events including our Golf Tournament and Winter Wonderland continue to grow.
In addition to fundraising events, TARC relies on donations and grants to help us continue to provide the quality and quantity of services we have provided for the last 65 years.
2018 Expenses
TOTAL EXPENSES: $12,316,578
2018 Revenue
TOTAL REVENUE $12,360,686
2018 Persons Served
Program Successes in 2018
Children’s Services
tiny-k Program
- 805 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 2018, 92 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 12,702 home visits that provided 8,171 hours or education therapy and 6,519 hours of family service coordination. Sixty-three (63) percent of all families served in TARC’s tiny-k program qualify for Medicaid.
- Twenty-one (21) percent of children did not quality for special education at exit.
- Ninety-five (95) percent of families report they were satisfied/very satisfied with the quality of services they received.
Children's Residential Services
Children’s Residential Services served 11 children with 7 foster families participating in the program. Seventy-three percent of the children in 2018 maintained home placements.
SPARKK & PACT
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 17 children (age 5 to 14) participating in two sessions.
- Parents and Children Together (PACT) program served 114 children and parents in 2018. 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; 75% of parents participated in these activities in 2018.
- 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
- 28 families and 64 children in the 23 sessions offered in 2018. SPARKK wouldn’t be possible without volunteers, last year 17 volunteers provided 141 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.
Employment Services
Employment Services
- Supported 41 individuals in community work placements. The individuals were supported by the employment services team.
- Employment Services worked with 22 people through our contract with Vocational Rehabilitation during 2018.
- Fourteen (14) new community businesses collaborated with Employment Services to employ a person with a disability.
- Over 55,591 hours of paid employment training was provided by TARC Industries and Employment Services.
Case Management
Case Management
TARC’s Targeted Case Management Services provides quality services and supports for persons with intellectual, developmental and related disabilities in Shawnee County.
- TARC case managers are all degreed professionals and offer the highest level of combined education and experience in Shawnee County.
- We continue to be affiliated with Community Development Disability Organizations (CDDOs) in Kansas and impacted the lives of 262 individuals in 2018.
- We promote independence and successful community inclusion, case managers helped participants gain access to medical, employment, social, educational, funding and other needed services.
- Twelve Case Management Participants’ had an extra special holiday season in 2018 thanks to our continued partnership with Topeka’s Frito Lay. Participants are selected based upon need or special circumstance to be adopted by Frito Lay employees.
Assistive Technology
Assisstive Technology
TARC’s Assistive Technology (AT) program provides infants, children and adults the opportunity to increase, maintain or improve functional abilities. Over the last 21 years, our AT department has achieved these goals using computers, adapted equipment, specialized switches and software.
- In 2018, 500 adults and children benefited from the Assistive Technology Program. We created a variety of equipment and have an extensive library to help those utilizing AT services to reach their individualized goals, gain independence and fully participate within their families and communities. We focus on communication, creativity, play, mobility and seating.
- In 2018, staff received more than 85 hours of training on technology and equipment. We continue to refine and develop new seating solutions constructed from heavy cardboard. Each cardboard chair is built custom to meet individual needs.
Day Services
Life Skills and Aquatic Therapy
TARC’s Day Services program provides excellent services and support to adults (18 years and older) in Shawnee County with developmental, intellectual and related disabilities. We support adults in gaining independence, enrichment in areas of interest, enhancing their skills and building confidence.
In 2018, TARC’s Day Services:
- provided 2,387 hours of life skills classes in our fully functional kitchen and garden 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 as well as gardening skills.
- provided 427 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.
Volunteering in the Community
TARC Day Services continued to provided multiple opportunities for participants to volunteer in the community giving back 1,676 volunteer hours.
- participants volunteered weekly on one of our three routes for Meals on Wheels.
- participants volunteered weekly at the Helping Hands Humane Society.
- participants volunteered weekly at the Topeka Zoo.
Community Opportunities
TARC 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.
Persons supported were able to choose to attend:
- 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 2018, we continued bringing the community in to Day Services. We continued our partnership with 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 are able see animals from all over the world up close and enjoy learning.
TARC Industries
TARC Industries
- Three thousand one hundred and four (3,104) document destruction pick ups were made during 2018.
- Sixty-two (62) Individuals achieved an increase in their average hourly wage during 2018.
- TIES Document Destruction program destroyed nearly 900,000 pounds of paper.
- On average, Shawnee County residents brought in 6,720 pounds of paper to be recycled for FREE each month during the year.
Feeding Clinic
Feeding Clinic
The Feeding Clinic offered 1748 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. Our feeding clinic is open one day a week and provides intense services to individuals and their families who need assistance to be able to feed without issues.
Services provided include a full evaluation with intervention strategies and treatment recommendations provided for families and caregivers. The intensive feeding clinic served 12 people in 2018 providing quality interventions.
Self-determination
Self-determination
TARC’s Self-determination program has provided an alternative to adults receiving I/DD Waiver Services seeking supports outside of the traditional facility-based adult day and residential service programs. TARC’s Self-determination is a unique service delivery method by which a person makes decisions, plans for the future, determines how funds are spent for supports and takes responsibility for the decisions made. The program is affiliated with several Community Developmental Disability Organizations including: Cottonwood, ECKAAA, Big Lakes, Shawnee, Riverside and Leavenworth County.
In 2018, TARC’s Self-determination:
- Celebrated 21 years of providing the opportunity to persons with developmental disabilities, their guardians/families to create supports that meet their preferred lifestyle.
- Provided support to 99 participants with residential supports, day supports or both.
- Continued to automate our tracking systems for payroll, staff training and participant budgets.
- Celebrated with many participants as they achieved lifelong goals with respect to communication assistance, home modifications to enhance independence, and acquisition of adaptive equipment. Many more obtained medical and dental services not otherwise provided by traditional health care coverage.