Community Stories

For Xandria, digital access is about much more than having a computer. It is about independence, opportunity and being able to participate in a world that is increasingly designed to be accessed online.

At 63, Xandria is navigating life with a disability and mobility and communication challenges following a series of strokes in 2011. The strokes, caused by blood clots in her brain stem, resulted in brain damage as well as mobility and communication difficulties. At times, when her blood pressure rises, she can stutter so severely that people have difficulty understanding her.

For years, limited physical accessibility compounded those challenges. Before moving into her current accessible apartment in Camp Hill, Xandria spent three years living on the third floor of an apartment building, unable to leave without someone’s assistance. Even after connecting with Thrive, she was living in a place that required her to navigate 25 to 30 steps just to get in and out. The rent also consumed more than her monthly income, leaving little room for other needs.

Eventually, Xandria moved into a HUD-based, one-bedroom apartment with elevators and accessibility features. The move has given her more physical independence—and created new possibilities for using technology to build independence in other areas of her life.

From a Phone to a Computer

Xandria had been familiar with using a mobile device, but her laptop had become outdated and was no longer functional enough to meet her needs. Without a working computer, many tasks that are easier on a larger screen were difficult or out of reach.

That changed when her counselor at Thrive, Sean-Ray, told her about the organization’s laptop program.

“I only had a mobile device prior to that,” Xandria said. “My other laptop had became outdated and just wasn’t working well enough for me to be able to do what I needed to do.”

The new laptop has given Xandria a more stable and flexible way to get online. She now has her own internet connection and a computer that allows her to search for information, develop her skills and pursue opportunities that would be difficult to manage from a phone alone.

“It’s definitely been a blessing for me,” she said. “Being able to have that computer and just get online has definitely been a benefit to me.”

A Path Toward Employment

One of Xandria’s biggest goals is finding part-time employment that she can do remotely.

Because she receives SSI and retirement income and considers herself 100% disabled, traditional employment can present challenges. Working from home could provide an opportunity to earn additional income while accommodating her circumstances.

But finding that kind of work requires digital access.

“One of the things that I was hoping to do is to obtain some part-time employment. Hopefully, work from home,” Xandria said. “It’s kind of hard to do that just on a phone.”

With the laptop, Xandria is updating her résumé, searching more effectively for jobs and looking for positions that match the type of work she wants to pursue. She is also using online resources to strengthen her customer service skills.

She has been using online courses and assessments to identify areas where she can improve, and she is working with vocational rehabilitation to explore additional training opportunities.

For Xandria, the computer is therefore not simply a device. It is part of a pathway toward becoming a stronger candidate in today’s workforce.

Digital Access as a Tool for Independence

Employment is only one part of what has changed.

Although she has had the laptop for less than a month, Xandria is already seeing how having a larger, reliable device could make everyday tasks easier. She can use digital tools for things such as grocery shopping, and she expects to use the computer for telehealth appointments and communicating with her doctor and social worker.

Those opportunities matter for someone whose mobility challenges can make physically traveling to services more difficult.

“Digital media … kind of opens up my world a little more to be able to do things that or see things that I wasn’t able to do previously,” Xandria said.

Her internet connection is another part of that equation. Xandria pays about $64 a month for internet, which can be difficult on a limited income. Her move into HUD housing has freed up some of her resources, allowing her to put money toward connectivity.

One Person’s Support Can Reach a Community

Xandria credits Thrive with helping her navigate more than just the laptop program.

After reconnecting with the organization, she was paired with a counselor who helped her navigate challenges and understand available resources. Xandria said she can turn to Sean-Ray when she has questions, including questions about her rights as a person with a disability.

“Just to have that option available of somebody, someone that is more knowledgeable than myself to kind of be able to point me in one direction or the other has been a blessing,” she said.

The support has made such an impression that Xandria shared information about Thrive with the management of her apartment building. Thrive is now working with the building’s management to potentially provide a presentation about its resources to other residents.

What began as support for one person could therefore become a resource for an entire community.

“It Will Open Up the World”

Xandria sees digital access as particularly important for people with disabilities and for older adults who may experience mobility challenges as they age.

For someone who cannot always physically travel to a place, the ability to connect online can provide another way to access information, services, employment opportunities and experiences.

“I just think that digital access is important, especially [for] individuals that may have a disability or even just mobility challenges that could come with age,” Xandria said. “Because it will open up the world to them, that they might not be able to physically go, but you’ll still be able to see and have the same experiences through … digital access.”

For Xandria, that access is already beginning to change what feels possible. A laptop has made it easier to search for work, strengthen her skills and manage everyday activities. Telehealth and other online resources are now within reach. And with a stable home, accessible housing and digital tools at her disposal, she is building a greater sense of independence.

“I’ve had to … be kind of confined to just using my mobile device,” she said. “But now that I have this new option, a new path, it’s just been a blessing to me.”

For Xandria, digital access is not an optional convenience. It is a way to make the world more accessible—and to open doors that physical barriers once kept closed.