Area Firms Honored for Hiring Disabled

Several area companies were commended Friday at an awards ceremony for their willingness to hire people with disabilities.

New Horizons, a nonprofit organization that trains and finds jobs for physically and developmentally disabled adults, honored some 35 companies based in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys at its fourth annual Tri-Valley Employer Awards Breakfast at its Parthenia Street headquarters.

Wal-Mart, Washington Mutual Bank, Pacific Theaters, Lucky, Circuit City, Universal Studios, Ralphs, Big K-Mart, USC School of Medicine and Santa Clarita schools food service division were among the employers praised for creating job opportunities for the disabled, agency officials said.

Companies were nominated by several social service organizations serving people with disabilities, agency officials said.

“There is a stereotype against people with disabilities,” said Joe Chu, director of development and marketing at New Horizons. “Some employers automatically think they are not going to work out.”

The New Horizons staff screens, trains and places clients in jobs that will benefit both workers and their bosses, Chu said. Agency officials follow up with continued training and support of clients.