2Gether-International and Making Space Expand Workforce Development for Disabled Professionals
News related to:2Gether-International · 2 min read
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- 2Gether-International and Making Space have successfully completed a workforce development program supported by Truist Foundation, expanding opportunities for disabled professionals in the Southeastern United States. The initiative, which built on Making Space’s original Ascend program, aimed to create new pathways to economic mobility for disabled individuals through a combination of peer cohort learning, mentorship, employer engagement, and AI-powered career navigation tools.
The program, which targeted 70 disabled professionals, placed 20% of them in executive-track apprenticeship opportunities. Additionally, 17 participants secured full-time, competitive employment, while 6 pursued freelance or contract work, increasing their income. The initiative also helped 10 participants create ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts, which are designed to help individuals with disabilities save for their future needs, and 12 accessed other benefits programs.
According to Diego Mariscal, CEO and Founder of 2Gether-International, the program's success underscores the importance of a Disability-led model in workforce development.
The program's outcomes are particularly significant given the current employment landscape for disabled individuals. Only 22.5% of Americans with disabilities were employed in 2022, compared to 65.8% of those without disabilities. This disparity contributes to $163 billion in lost annual U.S. tax revenue due to underemployment. The program's success highlights the potential for Disability-inclusive workforce development strategies to address these disparities.
Keely Cat-Wells, Founder and CEO of Making Space, echoed Mariscal's sentiments.
The program's impact extends beyond individual success stories. With 85% of beneficiaries from low-to-moderate-income backgrounds, the strategy directly aligns with Truist Foundation's commitment to building career pathways to economic mobility. Namrata Yadav, Chief Culture and Philanthropy Officer at Truist, emphasized the importance of such initiatives.
The successful completion of this program builds on the original Ascend program, which delivered a 123x return on investment and a $1.1 million average lifetime earnings increase per participant. Together, the programs provide real-world evidence for how peer support, skills development, employer engagement, and wraparound resources can create more equitable pathways to economic opportunity for disabled professionals.
2Gether-International, a global organization and network unlocking the potential of founders with disabilities, has supported over 1,400 startups, helping them raise over $84 million in investment, revenue, and acquisitions. The organization itself has given more than $500,000 in non-diluted capital to founders with disabilities. 2Gether-International was named to the first-ever Forbes Accessibility 100 list in 2025 and recognized again in 2026.
Making Space is a talent acquisition and learning platform that helps companies hire, support, and retain disabled professionals. The platform supports a network of over 50,000 disabled people and has trained more than 200,000 employees at companies including Red Bull, Salesforce, and Netflix. Making Space's Ascend Fellowship delivers cohort-based upskilling, career coaching, and mentorship, alongside training for the managers who will support fellows once they are in role.
Truist Foundation, established in 2020, is committed to Truist Financial Corporation's purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive.