Spotlight on Daneila Colon

We're pleased to share with you Daniela's story – who, with courage and tenacity, was dual enrolled in two of the programs neba offers - Job Development and On Our Way. Daniela’s journey highlights her strengths, perseverance, and the meaningful progress she has made with individualized, person-centered support. She took a big step into financial literacy workshops, situational assessments, and employment preparedness skills.  

Throughout her time with us, she has made significant progress in learning proper cashiering skills and effective communication skills. One method utilized during job development was coaching on a money management app. This is a game-type app that builds money literacy, having Daniela practice her skills in a fun and engaging way. “I enjoyed going to the library for job development- staff helped me learn cashiering through an app, which has improved my skills and allowed me to secure employment with cashiering,” Daniela said. 

In September 2025, Daniela secured a position as a front-end assistant at Springfield’s Golden Corral. In this position, she operates the cash register and processes payments on top of the face-to-face interactions of greeting customers, addressing customer inquiries, and more.   

Although she still requires support and is not yet fully independent at work, neba’s staff continues to provide check-ins each shift to help her target these areas for improvement. She has great natural support, such as the General Manager, Natalie. 

Outside of work, Daniela spends time as a mother with her two young daughters. From attending cheerleading practices to learning how to knit together, a caring bond is shared between family members. The balance between parenting and employment is remarkable as Daniela continues to improve her skillset alongside neba. Daniela shares, “neba helps out a lot- anything you need just let them know what they can help you with.” 
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We’re honored to accompany you along the way, Daniela! Congratulations on your endeavors!