For more than 100 years, Easterseals has worked to help people with disabilities, aging adults, veterans and caregivers to live more independently. The nonprofit impacts the lives of millions of people annually through its Affiliate provider network nationwide.

Since 2022, The Coca‑Cola Company and The Coca‑Cola Foundation (Coca‑Cola) have partnered with Easterseals to advance disability workforce readiness through skills development and employment opportunities. Together, they are helping individuals build the skills, confidence and access needed to pursue meaningful careers.

Angelina's experience in Easterseals South Florida's Culinary Arts High School Program is one example of that impact. Through the program, she learned customer service, coffee blending and barista skills, including how to operate a commercial espresso machine.

When an opportunity arose to lease and operate a coffee cart business, she decided to take a chance. She launched her own business with a startup loan and support from Easterseals and generated enough income to repay the loan within two weeks. Today, she continues to pursue her passion for the food and beverage industry, operating Leo’s Coffee by Angelina, a coffee cart alongside her brother Jorge.

“Coca‑Cola is helping us close the gap between potential and opportunity,” said Mere Mansfield, Vice President of Strategy & Advancement at Easterseals.

Mere shared that people with disabilities often face barriers to employment not because they lack the ability to work, but because they lack access to opportunity in a supportive work environment.

Through Coca‑Cola-supported workforce development programs, Easterseals participants gain access to career readiness courses, certification preparation, coaching, paid internships and work-based learning opportunities. The partnership has also helped reduce barriers to participation through investments in technology and other critical resources that allow participants to access training and career pathways.

But the impact extends beyond technical skills.

“There is a moment where something shifts,” Mere said. “A participant realizes, ‘I can do this.’”

She describes that moment as one of the most powerful outcomes of the program. Participants gain a greater sense of confidence and agency, seeing that their contribution matters and understanding that they have a meaningful role to play in the workforce and the economy.

Angelina's experience reflects that transformation. Through Easterseals South Florida's Workforce Development Program, she received individualized job coaching and access to career development resources, building the confidence that ultimately helped her launch her own business.

More than 750 individuals have directly benefited from Coca‑Cola-supported programming since the partnership began, exceeding the original goal of 600 participants. Across the Coca‑Cola-supported Easterseals Affiliates, participants have completed more than 500 educational workshops, while 90% have earned at least one certification.

For Mere, the impact of career preparation and development extends far beyond the individual participant.

“When you employ someone with a disability, you aren't just changing their life, but changing communities,” she said.

Easterseals recently partnered with Steward Redqueen on a study supported by The Coca‑Cola Company, which found that participants in Easterseals workforce development programming gain approximately $5,000 in additional annual spending power. Across the more than 750 individuals supported through Coca‑Cola-funded programming since 2022, that equates to roughly $4 million in new economic value generated.

The partnership reflects Coca‑Cola's broader commitment to investing in organizations that help expand opportunity and strengthen communities. In one year alone, the Coca‑Cola system contributes $177 million in community initiatives together with The Coca‑Cola Foundation and the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation.

The partnership's impact continues to grow. One recent milestone was Coca‑Cola naming Easterseals a nonprofit partner for FIFA World Cup 2026™, helping expand workforce programs in host communities. Through Easterseals, Coca‑Cola’s investment is helping more people build the skills, confidence and agency needed to participate in the workforce and contribute to their communities.