A Message from Penny Forward Founder and CEO, Chris Peterson
Meet Tony.
Tony is a father, a job seeker, and a man who just wants to do right by his kids. He’s also blind, which adds an extra layer of complexity to everything he does—especially when it comes to finding work and dealing with government bureaucracy.
Tony recently lost his job. It wasn’t his fault—layoffs happen—but that didn’t make it any less stressful. He needed to pay his bills, provide for his kids, and figure out what to do next. So, he applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
The Application Process: A Mixed Bag of Accessibility
Applying for SSDI online was relatively straightforward. The government has made some progress in making that process accessible, and Tony was able to get through most of it without too much trouble. Of course, there were still a few hiccups—he had to mail some documents to his local Social Security office, and then he got an inaccessible paper form from the disability determination service.
This form asked a lot of the same questions he had already answered online. Frustrating? Absolutely. But Tony is resourceful. He had his documents in order, and he was able to find someone to help him fill out the form. Thanks to his organization and persistence, he got through the process relatively quickly—six months from application to approval.
Now, Tony thought, at least he had some income while he continued looking for work. But there was another hurdle: applying for SSDI benefits for his kids.
The Endless Hold Music
Tony assumed applying for SSDI for his children would be as straightforward as applying for himself. He was wrong.
Unlike his own application, which he could complete online (minus that pesky paper form), applying for his kids required a phone call to the Social Security Administration (SSA). He dialed the number—1-800-772-1213—and settled in for the wait.
An hour later, he was finally connected to a representative. After another 90 minutes of repeating information, answering questions, and navigating the process, he was told he needed to schedule another appointment. In two weeks. During business hours.
Tony sighed. He didn’t have much choice but to wait.
While he sat on hold, he made good use of his time—he pulled up Indeed and LinkedIn, searching for jobs. But job hunting as a blind person comes with its own set of challenges.
The Job Hunt: A Frustrating Cycle
Tony is qualified for many jobs. He has experience. He knows he can do the work. The problem? The application process.
Many of the online job applications he found were completely inaccessible. Some had unlabeled buttons. Others had dropdown menus that his screen reader couldn’t navigate. A few required those frustrating visual CAPTCHA codes with no accessible alternative.
He skipped over those jobs. Not because he wasn’t interested or unqualified, but because he literally couldn’t apply.
Still, he found a few he could apply for and even landed some interviews. But time and time again, those interviews turned awkward when the employer realized he was blind.
“Oh… uh, how would you do this part of the job?”
“Would you need… special equipment?”
“I just don’t know if we have the infrastructure to support that.”
Tony could hear the hesitation in their voices. They weren’t saying no outright, but they weren’t exactly saying yes, either. The interviews always ended the same way:
“We’ll be in touch.”
And then… nothing.
The Unseen Work
Tony isn’t just a job seeker. He’s a dad. He takes care of his kids when they’re not in school, helping with homework, making dinner, and doing all the little things that keep a household running.
He wants to work. He wants to set a good example for his kids. But he also worries. What if he finally lands a job, only to find out the company uses inaccessible software? He’s heard horror stories from other blind friends—being hired, struggling to work around inaccessible tools, and then getting let go because they “couldn’t keep up.”
Tony has been lucky in the past, but he knows the risk is real.
The Weight of Misconceptions
The worst part? The constant, unrelenting message—from the government, from the media, sometimes even from friends and family—that blind people who receive SSDI are lazy. That they don’t want to work.
Tony knows that’s not true. He is trying. He is doing everything he can to support his kids, find a job, and build a future. But sometimes, it feels like an uphill battle with no clear path forward.
What Tony Dreams Of
Tony dreams of a day when applying for SSDI—whether for himself or his kids—can be done entirely online, with fully accessible forms.
He dreams of a day when he doesn’t have to pass over good jobs simply because he can’t fill out the application.
He dreams of a day when employers don’t see blindness as a liability but as just one part of who he is—no different than any other aspect of his identity.
He dreams of a day when he is respected for the work he is doing to raise his kids and find a job.
How Can Penny Forward Help Tony?
Tony has heard about Penny Forward. He thinks it could help him improve his financial health—if only he had the time and money to invest in it. But right now, every dollar matters. Every hour is spent job hunting, parenting, or navigating red tape.
So what can Penny Forward do for Tony, right now, when he needs it most?
We can make sure financial education is accessible, free, or low-cost for people in situations like his.
We can offer guidance on managing SSDI income while job searching, so he doesn’t risk losing benefits before he’s financially stable.
We can advocate for better accessibility in job applications and workplace software, so Tony and others like him don’t have to fight the same battles over and over again.
We can build a community—a place where Tony doesn’t have to feel like he’s alone in this struggle.
Because he’s not.
Tony’s story isn’t unique. There are countless blind people just like him, doing their best, facing the same barriers, and pushing forward despite it all.
At Penny Forward, we believe financial independence is for everyone. And that means working to create a world where people like Tony don’t have to fight quite so hard just to get a fair shot.
If you’re reading this and you see yourself in Tony’s story, know that we see you. We’re here for you. And we’re fighting alongside you.
Let’s build that better future—together.
Sincerely,
Chris Peterson, AFC®
Founder and CEO, Penny Forward
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