Brandon Brings Positivity Everywhere He Goes

Brandon Clark, 22, is characterized by many people—including his mom Kimberly Carpenter—as an extremely hard, confident worker who excels at his job which involves car cleaning and detailing, carpentry, refurbishing pellet stoves, lawn care and much, much more.

It’s impressive work in and of itself. It’s even more so with Brandon, as he is legally blind.

“He was born at 25 weeks and weighed only two pounds,” said Kimberly. “It was determined he had cerebral palsy, and the doctors told me he would never be able to walk or talk. As a parent, I wouldn’t accept that.

“As Brandon grew up, I was adamant to help him push through most of his disabilities. Despite what the doctors said, he’s been verbal all his life, and eventually, he learned to walk, too,” Kimberly added. “I never treated him differently than my other children. While he knew he was ‘different,’ I didn’t want him to feel that way.”

After Brandon graduated from high school, he became involved with vocational rehabilitation (VocRehab), a process which helps people with functional, physical or developmental disabilities seek and gain employment, which was very important to Brandon. “He had a job as a custodian, but he didn’t like it; he worked in the late afternoon and early evening and would often have to go to multiple locations some days. Like most people, Brandon needs to know where he’s going and what he’s doing,” said Kimberly.

Then VocRehab staff told Kimberly about Living Innovations, a service of Mosaic. “I was skeptical when I contacted them, because we had so many bad experiences with case managers—there was always a different person. Then Brandon had someone he really liked, and then one day he wasn’t there, either. It was very hard for Brandon.” 

Brandon enjoys his job with Shiretown Solutions.

When Living Innovations returned Kimberly’s call to arrange an in-home visit with her and Brandon to discuss employment opportunities. “Because we had some bad experiences with organization high turnover,” Kimberly asked for the visiting staff member’s name. “When they told me it would be Arnold Bulley, I was so happy, as I knew him when he was the manager at McDonald’s, where our community knew he helped lots of young people by hiring them and training them with kindness.

“When Arnold visited us for the first time, I loved how he felt comfortable enough to tease Brandon. He and Brandon really hit it off—so much so, while they were talking, out of the blue Brandon told him, ‘I have a hard time seeing sometimes.’ He had never confided that to anyone, so as a parent, that was huge.”

As the process began, Living Innovations job coaches worked diligently with Brandon to help him develop and maintain marketable job skills. In the meantime, Arnold and Brandon looked at several places where Brandon might like to work, and when they called on a local business named Shiretown Solutions, Brandon was interested in their business—and manager AJ Boyce was interested in hiring him.

“When I interviewed Brandon,” said AJ, “it was apparent he really wanted to succeed—not only succeed himself, but succeed for our company. I knew immediately this is a man we want to work here.”

As Brandon was hired, Living Innovations job coaches continued their work with on-site encouragement and training to efficiently learn his new job.

“Hiring Brandon is one of the best things we ever did,” added AJ. “He’s always on time, he comes in early to start working on the pellet stoves, then he goes to the car wash bay, and he cleans things up—he gets things moving before anybody else gets here. He’s just right on the ball!”

AJ also said because Brandon is such a positive influence at Shiretown Solutions, they hired another person with Living Innovations whom Brandon trained himself. “These two gentlemen don’t quit until the job is done well and done right. They are very inspiring to us and our staff.”

When asked about what he likes about his job, Brandon replied, “I get to detail cars, and with the season now, I get to mow some grass—just different things like that. Arnold helped me find a job there, and he continues to help me. When he shows up at my work, and I need help with something, he’ll talk to AJ right then.”

Arnold said, “When we first started working with Brandon, his confidence was very low, but since holding a job at a place he loves, his confidence has doubled, if not tripled. When you see someone’s confidence increase like that by being employed, that success keeps our staff motivated to find a great job fit for the next person and the next. Brandon is a shining example of what you want for any individual you work with.”

“I just love Brandon and who he is so much,” Kimberly said. “I’m also very proud of him for always trying so hard to do the best at his job in order to make his boss and colleagues happy. When they tell him he’s doing a great job, that just makes him beam from ear to ear.

She added, “My wish for Brandon is to be able to enjoy life, and that’s what he’s doing now.”