The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Brian West, Publix Super Markets!

Brian West, Publix Super Markets

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Brian West, Media and Community Relations Manager for Publix Super Markets. We will be discussing Publix Super Market’s philosophy of showing no preference when it comes to hiring employees who are differently-abled.  As Brian says,“We look at what a person is able to do, not what they aren’t able to do.”


  • Publix has been hailed as the No. 1 supermarket for customer satisfaction,
  • one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,”
  • and as an inspiration for its sustainability efforts and community involvement.
  • It is the largest Employee-owned company in the nation.
  • Publix has never laid off an employee in it’s eighty-nine year history.

Today, Publix Super Markets has over 800 employees who are Special Olympics Athletes in Florida. Each year in January, Publix associates and customers come together to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics. In 2019, Publix customers and associates contributed more than $4.8 million to the Special Olympics to ensure athletes were able to train and compete free of cost. This brings Publix total donation since 1993 to $51.3 million. 

The relationship with Publix dates back to 1972. The state’s Special Olympic athletes faced skipping the National Games in Los Angeles because they couldn’t afford the flight. Publix founder George Jenkins stepped up and covered the cost of the flight.  

Pictured:  Brian West, Media & Community Relations
                     Manager for Publix Super Markets.

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Special Olympics FL Healthy Community!!

Special Olympics FL Healthy Community

This week’s rebroadcast of our August 7, 2015 show features Special Olympics Florida Healthy Community – Tampa Bay! 
They are sponsored by Special Olympics Florida and the State of Florida, Agency for Persons with Disabilities. We will also have a parent, Kim Mueller, sharing her tips on Medical Record Organization.

Kim Mueller and Julie Ames, SNFH

Kim Mueller and Julie Ames, SNFH


 Kim and her husband Dennis and son Zachary

Kim and her husband Dennis and son Zachary


Pictured left to right: Healthy Community, Community Outreach Manager, Cydnee Dennison, Julie Ames, SNFH, and Healthy Community Site Director, Allison Rapp

Pictured left to right: Healthy Community, Community Outreach Manager, Cydnee Dennison, Julie Ames, SNFH, and Healthy Community Site Director, Allison Rapp


Healthy Community is a premier, health care delivery approach that focuses on the whole person with an intellectual or developmental disability and provides integrated health care coordination that includes primary health care.