Shawnee County CDDO - Community Developmental Disabilities Organization

We will be at the CDDO event at The Woodshed this Sat from 10am to 1:30p‼️

Look at all the fun available, come get some of that Famous Pablo's Water Ice where each taste is consistent of delicious flavor.

Stop by see how you can get a W***y Wonka Factory temporary TATTOO‼️ with a purchase of a special bowl.

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us today out at Rick's Place! We truly appreciate all of you.

📣 TOPEKA, WE’LL SEE YOU OCTOBER 3RD!

Ike’s OooWee BBQ & More is excited to be part of the Resource Fair & Family Fun Day hosted by Shawnee County CDDO - Community Developmental Disabilities Organization ! ❤️

Come out for a day filled with:

🍖 GOOD BBQ
🎮 Games
🎁 Giveaways
🤝 Community Resources
💼 Employers & I/DD Programs
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Fun
🚚 FOOD TRUCKS!

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
⏰ 10 AM
📍 Topeka, KS

Bring the family, bring your appetite, and come support the local food trucks while connecting with resources and organizations in the community!

Here is the updated list of food trucks who will be at the Resource Fair and Family Fun Day:

- The Blind Barista Coffee
- BIG E's KCQ & SMOKE
- Cooking with Mike
- Taqueria Mexico Lindo
- Ike's OooWee BBQ & More
- Pablo's Water Ice

Come for the fun, stay for the community! Tag a friend and invite them to join you for lunch and a day out discovering what Topeka has to offer!

We have another big announcement for the Resource Fair and Family Fun Day: Drawings by Trent and his family will have a table with his artwork available to purchase. You may already be familiar with Trent's story from social media. Trent was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, and also began to draw around the same time. He has been drawing animals ever since, and continues to find peace and express himself through his art. The way he draws with speed and accuracy is truly remarkable. We're all excited that he will be stopping by!

The City of Topeka is seeking feedback to improve accessibility to City facilities, services, and programs. The survey is open through October 26.

City of Topeka - Accessibility Survey Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

There are still openings for this training! If you are a self-advocate, family member, or caregiver this is a great opportunity for free mental health and crisis training designed specifically for the IDD community.

The Shawnee County CDDO is excited to partner with the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) to bring an important new training opportunity to our community.

We invite self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), as well as their families and caregivers, to join us for Perri's Legacy: Mental Health & Crisis Training for the IDD Community.

These free, interactive trainings were created to help individuals with IDD and the people who support them better understand mental health, recognize signs of emotional distress, build healthy coping strategies, and learn about available supports and resources. Rather than a traditional lecture, these sessions are designed to encourage conversation, questions, and meaningful participation.

The trainings are named in honor of Perri Spencer, a passionate self-advocate, former KCDD Council Member, and friend to many across Kansas. Perri lived with both an intellectual/developmental disability and serious mental health challenges. His life reminds us why it is so important that people with IDD have access to mental health education, compassionate support, and honest conversations long before a crisis occurs. We are honored to continue his legacy through this work!

Training Information:
Self-Advocate Training
Tuesday, September 15
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Family & Caregiver Training
Wednesday, September 16
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Location
TARC
2701 S W Randolph
Topeka, KS 66611

Both trainings will be facilitated by Whit Downing, Vice President of Policy and Programming at KCDD, and Chandra Gordon, LMSW, a social worker and educator with more than 20 years of experience supporting individuals with IDD and their families.

Participants will receive:
• Practical mental health and crisis education designed specifically for the IDD community
• Interactive discussion and opportunities to ask questions
• A free copy of KCDD's Behavioral Health Toolkit
• Resources that can be used long after the training ends

These trainings are free to attend, but registration is requested.
Register here:
https://form.jotform.com/262145698342160

We encourage self-advocates, family members, caregivers, direct support professionals, service providers, and anyone who supports individuals with IDD to register and join us.
Together, we can continue Perri's legacy by creating a community where people with IDD feel seen, supported, and empowered to talk openly about mental health.
Questions: Reach out to Whit Downing at [email protected].

Jason Barrett Custom Wood Design will be at the Resource Fair and Family Fun Day presenting his unique wood-burned art and custom pieces! Jason is a self-advocate who often shares his story to promote inclusion and prove that individuals with disabilities can be successful entrepreneurs. Please make sure to stop by his table and check out his work!

Link to the Resource Fair and Family Fun Day Event for details: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ArJ1kUWG8/

If you're interested in attending the SACK Conference this year, be sure to register by the end of May!

The SACK 2026 Statewide Self-Advocacy Conference is getting closer!

Are you excited? More importantly, have you registered?

Registration closes at the end of the month! Register at sackonline.org/conference

📅 June 19–21, 2026
📍 Manhattan, Kansas



[Image description: GREEN Banner with white text at top REGISTRATION CLOSES JUNE 1! + the Conference Logo (a half circle filled in with a tree with roots and leaves + text: Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas
Let’s G.R.O.W
Growth
Rights
Opportunity
Work
SACK CONFERENCE 2026
Doubletree by Hilton, Manhattan, KS
June 19 – 21, 2026) + text: REGISTER AT SACKONLINE.ORG/CONFERENCE]

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This year, the CDDO is partnering with Kansas DCF in hosting the 2026 Resource Fair. As always, there will be a variety of community organizations there to share information about available programs and services, as well as giveaways, games, prizes, and food trucks. We will be out at The Woodshed Event Center the first Saturday in October from 10:00-1:30 so mark your calendars now!