Disability Program Services
The Tucson J is one of Southern Arizona’s largest providers of disability services. Through our Taglit Day Program and Arts for All, we offer an array of programming dedicated to our community of young adults with disabilities.
Taglit
The J hosts the Taglit Day Program, which provides a small supportive group of young adults with disabilities with a full-day program designed to explore, cultivate, and maximize each individual’s potential. By emphasizing wellness, social action, education, and fun, we work to meet each individual’s unique needs through a program spirited by Jewish values and communal harmony.
Participants in this day program for young adults work on different projects that provide opportunities to practice fine motor skills, job skills, and independent living skills, and to express their personal creativity.
The Taglit Day Program is split into two groups; Avodah (Vocation) and Ha-Ash-Arah (Enrichment). Our vocational program emphasizes life skills which promote vocational success such as mobility and transportation training, personal organization, self-advocacy skills, etc. Our enrichment program emphasizes life skills which promote increased independence in areas such as problem-solving, communication, community participation, etc.
Contact Vero Trujillo, Director of Taglit, with questions and inquiries.
Arts for All
Arts for All has been inspiring adults to participate in the arts since 1985. In 2022, Arts for All integrated with the Tucson J. The team offers creative programs and is a leader in providing accessible arts education in Tucson, AZ.
The arts enrich the lives of everyone, which is why we work with individuals. It allows people to have creative experiences that they would not otherwise have. Our hands-on approach to drawing, painting, pottery, music, dance and drama instills creativity in the people we assist daily.
Arts for All programs are housed at the Arts for All building located at 2520 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705.
Our day program aims to help adults with disabilities build confidence, gain meaningful relationships, and develop performing and visual arts skills. We offer daily classes in dance, drama, music, exercise, ceramics, painting, and sketching. In addition, we bring adult participants to shows (Arizona Drama Company, Borderlands, Invisible Theatre, and others), parks, pools for therapeutic swimming, libraries, and the local museum. We also invite adults to audition for our dance company and drama ensembles. Throughout the day, options are presented to enable increased independence and self-confidence.
Our focus on accessibility and innovation guides our work, offering unique approaches to art-making, such as Laser Art Technique. LAT, a method devised for mobility, is rapidly gaining popularity in the art world. By using a laser mounted on custom headgear, the artist can direct their artistic creations through the laser to a tracker. A tracker will act as the artist’s hands. It also stands by the canvas and paints what the artist directs.
Arts for All is a branch of the Tucson J’s Disability Program Services.
Arts for All Sample Schedule
- 8am – Welcoming/Social Time
- 9am – Drama
- 10am – Ceramics (Note: Some leave for an outing)
- 11am – Wheel Throwing/Exercise
- 12pm – Lunch
- 1pm – Dance/Games
- 2pm – Music
- 3pm – End of Program and Reflection
It all started in 1985, when Marcia Berger, a Tucson pediatric physical therapist, started an after-school program called Third St. Kids. Her idea was simple: bring the performing arts into the lives of children with and without disabilities.
The following year, Steven L. Sles, founder of Arts for All gave the nonprofit organization to Marcia. Since that humble beginning 36 years ago, Arts for All has dedicated itself to delivering high-quality art education and experiences for adults with disabilities. It’s done through innovative programs that combine the arts and human services.
In August 2000, our ensemble company performed at the 5th International Abilympics in Prague, Czech Republic. In 2003, Arts for All received the Producing Theatre Company Award from the Arizona Theatre Alliance. We also received the Tucson Pima Arts Council Award for Arts Education Organization in 2006. In 2019, we received the Governor’s Arts Award for Arts in Education. In 2022, Arts for All integrated with the Tucson J.
When you donate to Arts for All, you share in the J’s service pledge to create community based on Jewish values by offering the highest quality programs and services to all people of all ages. As a 501 (c)(3) organization, donations made to Arts for All via the Tucson J are tax deductible.
Click here to make a donation. We greatly appreciate your support. Please reach out to Fran Katz, Director of Development, at fkatz@tucsonjcc.org with any questions.
Contact Charlie Paige, Director of Disability Program Services, with questions and inquiries.
Taglit and Arts for All are a Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) vendor and accept adults who are registered with the DDD. Those who are not with DDD may pay privately. Contact the cpaige@tucsonjcc.org for private pay pricing.
