SPecially Adapted Resource Centers - SPARC

SPecially Adapted Resource Centers - SPARC SPARC is a therapeutic recreational day program serving adults in Northern Virginia with multiple and severe disabilities and their families.

For more info head to www.sparcsolutions.org.

God Bless Amercia.
09/11/2026

God Bless Amercia.

Last night was a DSPY kind of night! SPARC had a LOT to celebrate at last night’s DSPY Awards! This year, SIX incredible...
09/11/2026

Last night was a DSPY kind of night!

SPARC had a LOT to celebrate at last night’s DSPY Awards!

This year, SIX incredible members of the SPARC community were nominated for recognition: Tika Bathka, Tori Barnett, Leilani Taylor, Trish Montoney, Desmond Asaah, and Carrie Thompson!

Trish, Tori, and Leilani were there with their families to soak up the applause, and we were so proud to be there cheering VERY loudly from the SPARC section!

Because here’s the thing about DSPs: they don’t simply “provide support.” They make inclusion possible. They open doors to friendship, independence, adventure, laughter, creativity, and belonging. And every single day, they help the adults we serve live fuller, richer lives in their communities.

Program Staff Leah Bansleben, Program Director Kat Rader, Development Director Erica Gaffney, and CEO Debi Alexander, and SPARC Board members Dave and JoAnne of the Dave and JoAnne Adams Group joined the celebration, too. And a HUGE SPARC thank you goes to Dave and JoAnne, who generously sponsored tickets for our entire group!

To Tika, Tori, Leilani, Trish, Desmond, and Carrie: we see you, we appreciate you, and we are SO proud of you. Being named a DSPY nominee is an extraordinary honor, and you represent the very best of what makes the SPARC community so special.

Last night may have been about awards, but we already knew we were surrounded by stars.

Today’s Magical Moment! Today at SPARC~Reston, we mixed a little creativity with a whole lot of teamwork as we made gold...
09/10/2026

Today’s Magical Moment!

Today at SPARC~Reston, we mixed a little creativity with a whole lot of teamwork as we made golden-brown waffles and painted our own personalized placemats! Everyone had a turn scooping, pouring, and stirring our waffle mix, making this a true team effort from start to finish.

But the real magic happened when we brought out our guided hands device! This adaptive tool helps participants with limited mobility and dexterity access activities like writing, drawing, painting, and even using touchscreens, creating opportunities to participate in ways that work for them.

Ellen was ecstatic when we found the right grip and perfect brush placement. She proudly wrote her initials as big as she could across the paper and exclaimed, “YES YES YES!!” before adding a heart to complete her masterpiece.

Moments like this are exactly why adaptive tools are KEY here at SPARC. When we find the right adaptation, we aren’t simply helping someone participate; we’re creating opportunities for independence, self-expression, confidence, and an experience that is truly made for them.

We are deeply grateful to be among the finalists for the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards. Congratulat...
09/10/2026

We are deeply grateful to be among the finalists for the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards. Congratulations to all of the finalists!

Vote for the People's Choice Award! Voting begins *now* and ends on 9/17 at 5 p.m. Only one vote per person is allowed. VOTE HERE + more info: https://www.loudounchamber.org/events/sba-2026

09/09/2026

SPARC ~ Alexandria was SERVING up some fun today! 🍣🔥

Why settle for lunch when you can have lunch AND a show?!

Our Alexandria crew headed back to one of our favorite spots, Sake Hibachi, where apparently we’ve reached regular status. This was our fourth visit, and the wonderful staff remembered us by name! They even remembered Katherine’s birthday celebration from our last visit. Now THAT is hospitality!

Then came the real show. Flying spatulas! Sizzling grills! Amazing chefs! And lots and lots of smiles.

For Elaina, it was her very first SPARC outing with us, and judging by that ear-to-ear grin, we think hibachi was a pretty spectacular way to start.

Meanwhile, Annabel and her mom apparently took one look at the sushi menu and said, “Yes.” They ordered enough to share with the crew, which immediately made them very popular lunch companions.

Delicious food, a fabulous show, wonderful people, and a restaurant that always makes our participants feel genuinely welcome.

Five stars from the SPARC food critics!

Thank you to the incredible team at Sake Hibachi for remembering our names, welcoming us back, and always making room at the table for SPARC.

Today’s happiness highlight at SPARC~McLean! We celebrated one of life’s sweetest special moments by celebrating the bir...
09/09/2026

Today’s happiness highlight at SPARC~McLean!

We celebrated one of life’s sweetest special moments by celebrating the birthday of longtime participant, Lizz!

Lizz walks into SPARC with a smile across her face every day and never fails to make everyone around her laugh and smile right alongside her. When she realized the day was all about celebrating HER, she made an announcement to the group; “Thank you everyone at SPARC for making today so special for me. My friends at SPARC make me feel so loved and I want to thank everyone from me and my family for making today and everyday so great.” A thank you so sweet, it brought tears to our eyes and warmed all of our hearts.

We celebrated with dancing, scavenger hunts, a pizza lunch and, of course, CAKE!! Lizz was absolutely beaming as she mentioned that, “this is a birthday treat that she looks forward to every year”, and she wasn’t talking about the cake!

At SPARC, celebrating birthdays is about so much more than marking another year. It’s about creating a moment where our participants feel seen, valued, loved and celebrated by the community they call their own. Everyone deserves the opportunity to have their special moments recognized and surrounded by friends who make them feel like the celebration is truly theirs.

Happy Birthday Lizz, we love having you at SPARC!

Who knew financial literacy could be this sweet?Today at SPARC, Katherine Montgomery walked in ready to take on the day…...
09/08/2026

Who knew financial literacy could be this sweet?

Today at SPARC, Katherine Montgomery walked in ready to take on the day… and found herself surrounded by MATH. COINS. BUDGETS.

But Katherine is a SPARC veteran and a natural leader, and before long she was helping guide the group through the mysterious world of copays, utilities, budgeting, saving and even siphoning. She listened to different opinions, helped settle some spirited debates, and kept everyone moving forward together. That’s leadership, SPARC style.

And then someone brought out the jelly beans.

Suddenly, budgeting became VERY interesting.

The rules were simple: jelly beans were money. Spend wisely. Save what you can. And here was the brilliant part… whatever you saved, you got to eat.

Let’s just say our financial planners became remarkably committed to building their reserves.

There was laughter, strategy, conversation and some very serious consideration about whether that jelly bean was truly a “need” or perhaps just a “want.”

At SPARC, learning doesn’t have to look like a worksheet. Sometimes it looks like friends gathered around a table, a participant stepping into a leadership role, a lively debate about money…and a handful of jelly beans waiting at the finish line.

Today’s financial advice from SPARC: Save your beans. You’ll be glad you did.

SPARC is closed today! Wishing you a great day!
09/07/2026

SPARC is closed today! Wishing you a great day!

09/04/2026

This week, participants used the Makey Makeys, setting up the technology themselves. There were two highlights this week. The first was at SPARC Reston, where Taku---a participant who often does not engage with art activities---pressed the Makey Makey button with the support of his staff, Tika. Once they pressed the button, the app began to play music, with Taku as its DJ. Taku smiled widely both when he was pressing the button, and then again later when Tika continued DJing with him nearby. The second highlight was with Christiana who used the Makey Makey to play soccer! It took her a few tries to learn the game, but once she did, her DSP, Tori, took a step back and Christiana played on her own. She scored goal after goal, exclaiming: "It was easy!" and "Thanks, Nicky." Participants are getting excited for the upcoming weeks where we'll begin to build and code our final arcade games!

Things got a little WILD at SPARC~ McLean today! In honor of National Wildlife Day, our participants traded McLean for t...
09/04/2026

Things got a little WILD at SPARC~ McLean today!

In honor of National Wildlife Day, our participants traded McLean for the wilds of the SPARC safari and put their best scouting skills to the test!

First things first: no respectable explorer heads out without the proper gear. Participants created their own binoculars, then set off on an expedition to find some cleverly hidden wildlife.

And apparently, our “wildlife” was feeling a little mischievous. Some of the animals moved throughout the day, which meant our explorers had to rely on sharp eyes, good memories, and a healthy dose of “Wait…wasn’t that over THERE before?!”

Once we had thoroughly searched the SPARC wilderness, it was time for Safari Jeopardy! Our crew put their wildlife knowledge to the test, proving that learning is a whole lot more fun when there might be a lion hiding around the corner.

And if today’s safari has you feeling a little wild too, the adventure is just beginning!

Join us on November 14 for An Evening to SPARCle, our safari-themed annual gala! Come celebrate the incredible people who make SPARC such a joyful, adventurous community while helping make many more days like this possible.

Grab your ticket, put on your safari best, and join the SPARC herd for a wildly wonderful evening!

https://www.facebook.com/events/washington-dulles-airport-marriott/evening-to-sparcle/1044067221959016/

Address

1775 Tysons Boulevard Fifth Floor
Tysons Corner, VA
22102

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10am - 2pm

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