CHICAGO — The Coca-Cola Company aims to deliver impact across generations, as does Easterseals. Both have been in the same towns for more than a century, alongside the families that call them home. Today, they’re helping more people with disabilities find good jobs, and more employers connect with skilled workers.
Coca-Cola Company is committing $1 million to Easterseals to expand workforce programs that train people with disabilities for jobs that local employers are working to fill. The commitment is announced during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, observed each October to recognize what workers with disabilities contribute to the nation’s workforce and economy. This year’s theme, set by the U.S. Department of Labor, is “Celebrating Value and Talent.”
The two organizations have worked together on this ambition since 2022. More than 750 people have come through the program, past the original goal of 600, completing over 500 workshops. Nine in ten earned at least one certification.
According to Steward Redqueen, which also led this year’s Coca-Cola system U.S. Economic and Community Impact study, Easterseals workforce development program supports $5,000 in economic value per participant. For the 750 participants Coca-Cola has supported, that’s roughly $4 million in increased economic value.
The Coca-Cola Company released the U.S. Economic and Community Impact findings, which featured Easterseals among eight community stories from across the country. The new commitment extends that work.
“Behind every statistic is a human story,” said Kendra Davenport, Easterseals President and CEO. “Coca-Cola has been a steady partner in proving that disability inclusion drives local economies. This new commitment lets us expand those opportunities for people with disabilities even further.”
The partnership is part of the Coca-Cola system’s $177 million investment in U.S. community programs in one year alone, with funding support from The Coca-Cola Foundation and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, rooted in shared opportunity and resilience.
In one year alone, the Coca-Cola system contributes $85 billion to U.S. GDP, or roughly $10 million in U.S. economic activity every hour, with impact across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
"Our impact is made possible through the strength of our local partnerships. Easterseals connects skilled workers to opportunities in their own communities, and that is exactly the kind of local strength our economic and community impact findings are built on,” said Alba Baylin, Vice President, Community & Social Impact, Coca‑Cola North America.
Hiring is local, and matching people to jobs is not something a national program can do from a distance. Easterseals does it through its network of 70 Affiliates, and each run in its own market, the same way Coca-Cola reaches its communities through local bottlers.
“We know which employers here are hiring and what those jobs require. Our job is to match training to real openings, then stay with the worker and the employer after the start date,” said Camila Rocha, President and CEO of Easterseals South Florida. “Coca-Cola’s support lets us do more of that. When it works, the paycheck stays in South Florida—and so does the spending.”
About The Coca-Cola Company's U.S. Economic and Community Impact Study
Released on September 15, 2026, The Coca-Cola Company’s U.S. Economic and Community Impact study highlights how the Coca-Cola system strengthens economies and communities nationwide – and the people, businesses, and partners that help make it possible. Learn more at: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/us-economic-impact-map
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About Easterseals
Easterseals is a national nonprofit that provides expert caregiving and support services across disabilities and stages of life. We help individuals and families throughout the United States get the services they need to live more independently. Learn more at www.easterseals.com or follow us on social media.
About Easterseals South Florida
Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services. Trusted by families for more than 100 years, we have worked tirelessly with our partners to enhance quality of life and expand local access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. And we won’t rest until every one of us is valued, respected, and accepted. Through our national network of Affiliates, Easterseals provides essential services and on-the-ground supports to millions of individuals and their families each year – from early childhood programs for the critical first five years, to autism services, transportation services, medical rehabilitation and employment programs, veterans’ services, and more. Our public education, policy, and advocacy initiatives positively shape perceptions and address the urgent and evolving needs of the one in four Americans living with disabilities today. Together, we’re empowering people with disabilities, families, and communities to be full and equal participants in society! To learn more, visit www. florida.easterseals.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and Santa Clara. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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