News & Events

The holidays bring so much joy along with a desire to give in the spirit of the season. In the same way we like to give presents to others, our clients who came up with Holiday Angels feel the need to spread cheer, too.

As this year’s Direct Support Professionals week was celebrated from September 9 through 14, New Horizons took the time to also acknowledge our staff for the amazing job they do on behalf of our clients all year long.

On Thursday, May 24, 2018, New Horizons celebrated the very best at our annual Above and Beyond Awards Luncheon!

After nearly 3 decades, Gary Montgomery and Judy Vanpuyvelde still find joy in volunteering with New Horizons clients; as New Horizons awards them with the Dignity, Love and Compassion award. See their video by clicking “Read More” below.

As a key element in its strategic approach to the agency’s future, the New Horizons Board of Directors has announced the appointment of John C. Brauer as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 11, 2018.

Twenty-five years ago New Horizons’ client Rowland Woods started working at McDonald’s Restaurant. And it became a match that was made to last. He applied for the job after gaining experience in Sam’s Cafe, the agency’s culinary program and banquet hall. He still remembers the day he started.

Dear Supporters of AB 279:

We worked as hard as we could to educate and persuade our legislature to pass AB279. But, ultimately, the Senate Appropriations Committee capitulated to a very powerful Governor who declared that he would not allow AB279 to become law.

Watch our films all Summer long on YouTube, and help us meet and win the contest! The Winner is calculated by the number of repeated views each film gets. We’re competing against 100 films. Help us be a winner!! We’re counting on you!!! Read more and view movies.

Thanks to a nomination by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-46), on Wednesday, June 28th, New Horizons was named a 2017 California Non Profit of the Year as part of California Nonprofits Day.

Dear Family and Friends:

I am pleased to share with you New Horizons’ Annual Report for fiscal year 2016.

Since 1954 New Horizons has provided programs and services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And while having been in existence for all these years, we learned early on that our outstanding achievements are directly correlated to the partnerships we have established with families and friends like you. Together we have empowered those we assist with the opportunity to live independent and fulfilled lives guided by their own unique desires.

On Wednesday, May 24, at CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC), participants in New Horizons Technology and Media Arts program joined others in the community to celebrate Mitchell Englander’s Making Movies that Matter and Short Film Festival.

Five Thousand Thirty-Five. That is the number of donors who made gifts to us over the past ten years. Today, we ask each and every one of you reading this letter to either renew with a generous gift or join us with a first gift and consider yourself a valued New Horizons Champion.

Just a reminder that our cookies can be purchased at VONS Tarzana. Stop by 18439 Ventura Blvd in Tarzana and pick up a package or two.

The online auction will opened on Saturday, June 18th at 12:00 PM and bidding will continue throughout the Gala on June 25th, 2016 till 9:30PM!

Dear New Horizons Friends and Family:

After 28 years of service at New Horizons, Cynthia Sewell (Kawa), our President/CEO, will be retiring, as of December 31, 2016. Please join me in congratulating her!

Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday handed what health care advocates and supporters of people with special needs called a status quo budget proposal for the next fiscal year, with no new investments or restoration of funding to programs that help California’s most vulnerable.

On December 10th all across California people with developmental disabilities will be in the streets and in public meeting spaces along with their families, friends and those who serve them. This date was circled long ago for rallies to bring greater public attention to the plight of nearly 300,000 of California’s most vulnerable citizens.

New Horizons is proud to announce its involvement with A&E Network’s new ground breaking original docu-series “Born This Way,” featuring seven young people with Down syndrome.

For nearly seven years, CEO Cynthia Sewell has been a co-convener of the Coalition of Service Providers. Involved are the following organizations: Villa Esperanza Services, ECF, Ability First, Tierra del Sol, UCP, Lincoln Training Center, Valley Village, Easter Seals, Jay Nolan, Therapeutic Living Centers for the Blind, CLIMB, Pathpoint, Hope House, The Arc – Los Angeles & Orange Counties, The Arc – Ventura County, and TASC (THE Adult Skills Center). These are among the provider leaders in Southern California. The purpose of the Coalition is to advocate for the programs and services for persons with intellectual and other disabilities.

I would like to thank all of you who advocated on behalf of a 10% increase in rates for service providers who work with individuals with special needs. This follow years of reduced and frozen government funding and the threat of looming costs that will be incurred from successive increases in the State and City of Los Angeles minimum wage.