“Being selected as a finalist was so overwhelming, but to then be chosen as a winner made me shed tears of joy. I had a smile on my face the whole day!”
Judy was stunned when she discovered that she had won a Hireup Impact Grant — a $5,000 grant for clients to help them achieve (or work towards) an important personal or professional goal.
Judy is 58-years-old, married and has two daughters. In 2015, Judy was diagnosed with Multiple Systems Atrophy-Parkinson’s, a condition which has slowly affected her ability to communicate verbally.
Now, with the help of her Impact Grant, Judy will purchase a computer with eye-gaze technology to help her express herself and engage in conversations more easily.
“Achieving this goal will significantly improve my quality of life by allowing me to communicate easily with family, friends, and support workers,” Judy shares.
“Being non-verbal can be frustrating to say the least but having the eye-gaze technology means I will have a ‘voice’. It’ll enable me to participate in social activities and express my needs more clearly, leading to better relationships and support.”
“It will be a lifeline to be able to communicate and be heard.”
Judy’s determination was recognised by the Hireup Impact Grants selection panel. David Collins, Hireup’s Chief Product Officer, shares how Judy's commitment to her goal left him feeling “quite moved.”
“It was an incredible privilege to play a small part in helping our Impact Grant recipients realise their dreams,” says David.
“Impact Grants are a great example of what profit for purpose really means.
“Seeing firsthand how we can live our values to make a tangible difference in people’s lives – through great initiatives like the Impact Grants – has given me a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer vision for the incredible impact we can create together at Hireup!”
This year’s winners are doing some amazing things with their Hireup Impact Grants! You can learn more about the 2024 Impact Grants by heading to our website.
