As Toni was looking for work during the COVID-19 pandemic, she realized that she needed a better home office set-up — a better computer and a more comfortable set-up to allow her to work with ease.

 “I was trying to find work from home,” she says. “Having an old slow computer didn’t help because stuff would freeze or just take forever, and I’m the kind of person that when you work for a company, I want to give the best of my work.”

Toni has Degenerative Disc Disease in her lower back, which causes her pain and limits her mobility.

A long-time participant of various Neil Squire programs, her case worker referred her to the Digital Jumpstart program.

Through Digital Jumpstart, Toni received a new laptop, laptop riser, and a USB hub, which she worked with program coordinator Gordon Watt to find the right one.

With other bills to pay, the new equipment provided a big relief.

“I don’t think I need to replace anything for a really long time,” she says. “It just takes one less stress off of my mind.”

During this process, Toni found work at the Disability Foundation (new window) as a database assistant, and the equipment has made a big difference in her success at work.

“It just helps me a lot easier to work without having all these side nagging inconveniences that would otherwise make me tired, fatigued. It helps a lot.”

Toni really appreciates the help she has received from Neil Squire over the years, and likes that they are very proactive to refer her to programs that could help her.

“I never know how to ask for help,” she says. “Everybody’s been super supportive, and I’m really happy that some people took the initiative to help out when I was a little bit shy in asking if I needed something.

“[Neil Squire has] exceeded what I thought was available.”