The Man Behind the Name
Before there was Jiffy Jr Gaming, Jiffy Jr Development, or Jiffy Reach, there was a man named Jeff.
But to most people who know him, he’s simply Jiffy.
He’s my dad.
And the reason I proudly carry the name Jiffy Jr.
My dad has spent most of his life working hard and doing what he could to provide for his family.
He worked several different jobs throughout his younger years, including after our family moved back to Wisconsin.
In 1997, he started bartending at Crystal Falls. Two years later, in 1999, he began working at Pacon, the company now known as Dixon Ticonderoga.
For years, he balanced his responsibilities, his work, and raising a family with my mom.
He continued bartending at Crystal Falls until a leg injury forced him to leave around 2015 or 2016.
But he kept working at Pacon.
For approximately 26 years, he dedicated a significant part of his life to that job.
Until something happened that changed his life.
When the World Becomes Harder to See
My dad developed serious vision problems following complications from glaucoma surgery.
A procedure intended to address dangerous pressure in his eyes instead led to complications that affected his eyesight.
And eventually, those vision problems became severe enough that he could no longer continue working at Pacon.
After 26 years, he had to leave.
I can’t pretend to know exactly what that experience felt like for him.
But I do know what it means to watch someone who’s spent so much of his life working and providing for others face challenges that most of us take for granted.
Things as simple as reading text, finding something on a screen, or navigating a computer shouldn’t have to become overwhelming obstacles.
And that’s where an idea started to take shape.
What If I Could Make Things Easier?
I’ve always enjoyed technology.
Gaming, computers, programming, creating things, and finding out just how much I can build.
But at some point, I started thinking about how those interests could become something more meaningful.
What if I could build something that made technology easier for my dad?
What if he could ask his computer what’s on the screen?
What if he could navigate applications, read information, and accomplish everyday tasks without having to struggle to see every little detail?
And what if that same technology could help other people facing similar challenges?
Not just people with low vision, but people with no vision at all.
That’s what inspired Jiffy Reach.
Accessibility Shouldn’t Be a Luxury
I don’t believe someone should have to spend money every month just to get meaningful assistance using their own computer.
Not everyone can afford another subscription.
And sometimes, the people who would benefit the most from accessibility software are the very people who can least afford expensive technology.
That’s why I’m committed to keeping Jiffy Reach’s essential accessibility features free.
There may be optional paid features that help fund continued development and more advanced AI capabilities.
But the foundation of Jiffy Reach will always be about helping people.
Not just those who can afford to pay.
Everyone deserves a chance to experience what technology has to offer.
More Than a Name
Jiffy Reach is still growing, and so am I as a developer.
I’m not a giant technology company. I’m a son, a husband, a father, a gamer, and someone who loves creating things.
I’ve always wanted to make my dad proud.
And carrying the Jiffy name into everything I build is one way I try to do that.
But Jiffy Reach is different from my other projects.
Because this one has the potential to make a genuine difference in people’s everyday lives.
If it helps someone read something they couldn’t easily read before, navigate a computer more independently, or accomplish something they once needed help with, then building it has been worth it.
My dad’s story helped inspire this project.
And my hope is that Jiffy Reach will become something that helps countless others write their own stories with fewer barriers standing in their way.
It started with my dad. But it was never meant to stop with him.
The man behind my name. The inspiration behind Jiffy Reach.
— Jiffy Jr.
Founder, Jiffy Jr Development