Our Programs
Homes
L’Arche Heartland shares daily life across four homes with seventeen core members (adults with intellectual disabilities). Core members share these homes with assistants (people without intellectual disabilities who choose to share a season of their lives living in mutual relationships with core members). Core members and assistants all contribute to the rhythm and life of the home, planning menus together, shopping, preparing meals, completing household responsibilities, as well as leisure activities. Our houses are vibrant places full of laughter, music, and prayer.
Availability
Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm
Location
8137 Santa Fe Drive
Overland Park, KS 66204
Academy
In 2008, L’Arche Heartland branched into providing day service supports by opening L’Arche Academy. Core members and assistants gather five days a week to pursue activities focused on creative expression. Each core member can choose individual interests that he/she would like to more fully develop. Examples of activities include: visual arts, music, journaling, story writing, reading skills, math skills, foreign language, puzzles, and games.
Availability
Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm
Location
8137 Santa Fe Drive
Overland Park, KS 66204
Green Express StUdio
With a desire to diversify our day service supports as well as increase our presence in the local area, the Green Express Studio became a part of L’Arche Heartland in 2015. Across our two day service options we create meaningful daytime activity for thirty core members. Green Express Studio teaches employment skills, life skills, and cares for the environment as we form relationships across abilities. We are currently creating partnerships with other businesses in Johnson County for core members to collect the businesses’ aluminum, plastic, and paper recycling. We have a location where these recycled materials are then taken, sorted, and prepared for the recycling center. All revenue generated from the recycling program is shared among the participants who choose this activity. Other activities we participate in are volunteerism through various organizations (meals on wheels, animal shelters, community centers, food banks) as well as providing social and leisure activities on a regular basis.
Availability
Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm
Location
8137 Santa Fe Drive
Overland Park, KS 66204
How Our Programs Are
Changing Lives
Our Stories
Business Recycling
Caring for our environment as we build relationships across abilities.
We are currently creating partnerships with other businesses in Johnson County for core members (adults with an intellectual/developmental disabilities) to collect the businesses aluminum, plastic, and paper recycling. We have a day service location where these recycled materials are then taken, sorted, and prepared for the recycling center.
Along with the impact of encouraging our local area to recycle more, this project seeks to build relationships between individuals in local workplaces and core members who are sharing their gifts to positively impact our environment.
Door to Door Recycling Service Now Available in Johnson County
Johnson County and L’Arche Green Express are partnering to make recycling more convenient and affordable for area businesses. L’Arche Green Express’ Door to Door Recycling is similar to curbside collection, except better! There are many benefits to you and our community, for participating in this one-stop-shop service.
How it works
You can recycle all the same things as at the curb (no need to separate) – cardboard, paper, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, paperboard boxes, junk mail, etc.
Glass bottles and jars can also be part of the service, although it will need to be in a separate container, then taken to Ripple Glass for you.
Electronic waste – we all have some outdated electronics, think of it as “anything with a cord.” Some fees may apply, but rest assured it’s being responsibly handled
To get started
Call (913) 341-2265, or email Meredith Land meredith@larcheks.org. Meredith will assess your needs and connect you with the right resources.
L’Arche Green Express will contact you to schedule your pick up – typical service is weekly, or every other week.
You pay a nominal amount to L’Arche Green Express (as low as $50/month) in exchange for their services. All proceeds from their recycling program are invested into sustaining and developing this daytime activity for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Johnson County.
Join us
About L’Arche Green Express – A project of L’Arche Heartland, a non-profit organization creating community and opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Overland Park, KS, since 1987. L’Arche Green Express provides meaningful day time activity for over 20 adults with I/DD. This initiative gives persons with I/DD a greater presence in our city, as well as a purposeful activity that hopefully can grow into paid employment for the adults with I/DD who share their giftedness.
About Johnson County Health & Environment Department – The solid waste department is working to increase recycling and reduce waste in the commercial sector. Recycling creates jobs, gives products a second life, reduces the risk for air and water pollution, all while saving landfill space. Thank you for helping create a more sustainable Johnson County and supporting a local non-profit.