Nora *

*not her real name

Please share about yourself, your experience with the Disability Assistance Benefit, and anything else you would like people to know.

I’m located in Port Alberni, BC. I am 21 & have a mental illness, where I have to take a monthly shot to help my thoughts run better through my mind. I was/ am diagnosed with Schizophrenia & Early Psychosis. My interests are art, painting and sometimes drawing. I’m a First Nations woman who grew up in the States but moved here to BC. I’ve been on Disability for almost two years now

I do not make enough to meet my basic needs. I have two cats that are my emotional support animals, and I also have rent that’s $700, Hydro $70, phone bill $45, food usually around $300 to $400 a month. I work in retail, and I’m only able to make less than $2000 a month*. Sometimes I make less. Sometimes I can’t feed my family because we don’t have enough money. I can’t get the things I need sometimes like toilet paper, laundry soap, & so on.

Since I take a monthly shot, it’s hard for me to do some jobs at work, like when I’m doing boxes and putting merchandise on the shelves. Not just that I have sore pain in my arms while I’m also working the til, it’s constant motion. Sometimes I’m able to work and sometimes I’m not, depending on how the shot was given to me.

*in total, including Disability Assistance

What do you dream support for people with disabilities could look like?

I would like equal payments, where everyone on disability makes the same amount. More rent money, more basic needs like transportation.

Likes / Loves:

I love cats and dogs, I have a passion for makeup, & I like to play volleyball sometimes.