Banquet Honors Disabled Workers

They are not the highest paid workers or the most highly skilled. But the achievements of the 80 men and women who were honored Thursday night during an awards banquet at Sam’s Cafe rank them among the Valley’s most accomplished citizens.

The honorees all work at local businesses like Taco Bell, Kinkos, Target and McDonald’s. They are also clients of New Horizons, a Valley nonprofit organization that offers vocational training to adults with developmental disabilities to enable them to lead more independent and productive lives.

“It was kind of like the Academy Awards of supportive employment,” said Susan Brown, director of New Horizons’ Supportive Employment program, about Thursday’s ceremony. “We gave away awards in different categories like hardest working, best attendance, most creative and best community involvement.”

The men and women enrolled in the employment program learn basic vocational skills at New Horizons, which then works to place them with one of the many Valley businesses that support the organization.

“They initially need some support, some follow-up. But once they pick up the specialized training they need they do a great job,” said Joe Chu, director of development at New Horizons.

Steve Brown, a supervisor at Janco, a Burbank manufacturer of switching devices, said he had nothing but praise for the work done by the six New Horizons clients with whom he works.

“It’s been very successful. I’m very pleased with their performance,” Brown said. “We eat lunch together, they fit right in with the other employees.”

Deborah Friedman, 39, has gone from working at McDonald’s to her current job at Designer Labels in Woodland Hills since signing up for the employment program nine years ago.

“It’s helped me a lot. It’s really good to get a paycheck,” Friedman said. “Working is fun, being with people. Otherwise I’d just be at home.”