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Episode Summary
John Brauer has worked in the nonprofit sector for thirty years. Before that, he ran a construction company and then a dental lab. As you listen to this episode you will get to know a passionate man who has come to have a vision to help bring about meaningful and positive change in the world for persons with disabilities. Other than being light-dependent, John will tell you that he feels that he does not have a disability. However, as you listen to him, his story and learn about his work you will see that he actually fits right in with any advocate in the world of persons with disabilities. See how John Brauer has created many work and life opportunities for persons with developmental and physical disabilities. You will even see how he brings website access to his world with accessiBe. This is quite a creative guy. I am honored to have had the opportunity to meet and interview him. Thanks for listening and I hope you will let me know your thoughts about our episode and the Unstoppable Mindset podcast by emailing me at michaelhi@accessibe.com. About the Guest:
John C. Brauer, M.A. President and Chief Executive Officer New Horizons, Serving Individuals with Special Needs For over 30 years, John Brauer has been assisting individuals with disabilities and other special needs to establish or re-establish their place in the world. Utilizing a complex and diverse set of programs and services, challenges can be met and real change can be implemented both individually and systematically. Throughout John’s nonprofit career he has worked to expand both the scope and breadth of services offered for individuals with special needs, helping them to find a significant place in the community. A serial entrepreneur, John has developed and operated over ten social enterprises, including nonprofit owned and operated businesses, including three cafes, two janitorial & landscaping enterprises, a clerical training and placement unit, a grocery training division, and a full production division which provided employment for hundreds of individuals on a daily basis. Before joining New Horizons in 2018, John was the CEO of Union Station Homeless Services located in Pasadena, CA. Prior to that, John was the CEO of NW Works, a non-profit agency that provides employment, training and support services to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. In 2015, John launched a full-service café and bakery, the Firefly Café & Bakery, a full- service restaurant which trained individuals with special needs in all aspects of the food service industry. This endeavor was highly successful, and hundreds of clients graduated from the program and went on to work in the community, and the café itself was profitable after six months of operation. Prior to his work in the non-profit sector, John owned and ran two for-profit companies, Chalma Corporation, a construction company, and NFC Dental Lab. John is the past president of the Kiwanis Club of Winchester, and the past Chairman of the Board for the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber. In addition, John is an adjunct professor for Florida State University where he teaches for graduate level courses in Budget & Finance and Personnel Management for the Department of Social Work at Florida State University. About New Horizons - New Horizons is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with special needs reach their potential and fulfill their dreams. Founded in 1954 by eight parents whose children had special needs, the agency has evolved to provide services and support each year to more than 1,200 individuals and social/recreational services to nearly 3,000 individuals throughout the greater San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys of Los Angeles. New Horizons offers job training and placement, education, counseling, residential services and social programs, with a focus on providing personalized attention to help each individual gain confidence, skills, dignity and independence at his or her highest level. For more information, visit https://www.newhorizons-sfv.org.
About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes
