My name is Lindsey Eaton and I am 27 years old. I have autism. Growing up, I watched many of my family members work competitive paying jobs and I knew I wanted to work. I had the opportunity to participate in the Project

SEARCH program in Arizona at Medtronic. I completed this program and then secured a job. Unfortunately, I experienced a barrier in getting VR services. My counselor told me I would never work. I successfully have held many jobs that allow me to work competitively. My passion has always been something to do with kids within an office setting at a school. In early 2022, my parents reached out to the principal of a local private school. I found out about an opening at Christ Lutheran School to be their Office Assistant part-time. I had my interview and I accepted my job. I started my job in August 2022 and I love my job. I help out with tasks like shredding, copying, delivering lost and

found items to the students in all grades- kindergarten through eighth grade and passing out hot lunches to the students. In an effort to be a team player, I often offer to assist with other tasks if someone asks for help. When I started I received Vocational Rehabilitation services through HOPE Group. My job coach helped me learn my job including how to manage boundaries in relationships with co-workers and how to deal with changes in my schedule as well as helping implement systems like visuals for certain tasks such as how to safely load hot lunches into an oven warmer. Since I started my job, I have grown immensely and have learned many skills including how to deal with changes in my schedule, how to advocate for myself and how to communicate with my supervisor over email professionally. The fact that I have natural supports in place including supportive co-workers who are beyond kind and supportive. They check in with me throughout the day at work. My supervisor and mentor is beyond

supportive and kind and she allows me to ask her any questions I have throughout the day at work both in person and at the end of the day through our daily updates I send her over email. With these natural supports in place, I

was recently able to graduate from Vocational Rehabilitation services. I was originally kind of nervous to graduate from services but I have full confidence moving forward now, and now I have a supportive team of people behind me including my supervisor, job coach, DDD support coordinator and amazing VR counselor. My job has given me a purpose and helped me learn how to be a team player. The two days that I work are often the best days of my life. One thing I would encourage employers looking to hire people with disabilities is to give us a chance to work for your company. We are reliable, dependable and hard-working. We often outlast people without disabilities.

You can follow Lindsey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eatonlindsey/

Employment within the community at the same rate of pay as others doing the same job is the first choice.