Elevate Inc is excited to welcome our newest client The Able Trust. Helmed by CEO Allison Chase, The Able Trust is a public charitable foundation that is a key leader in providing Floridians with disabilities opportunities for successful employment. A direct support organization for the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, they accomplish their mission in many ways including grant-making, business relationships, and collective community impact.

The Able Trust team is interested in investing in, hiring, or collaborating with other community leaders to increase employment of people with disabilities within our local areas and the state. The Able Trust is currently funding two major grants using a collective impact model to increase community collaboration and services leading to increased numbers and quality of employment outcomes for Floridians with disabilities. These two pilot projects will occur in the Tampa Bay and Jacksonville areas with plans to expand throughout the state over the next five years. They are seeking investors and other partners to help make these initiatives a success.

They operate a statewide career exploration and development program for youth with disabilities in 42 locations throughout the state: Florida High School High Tech (HSHT). Each site is supported by a business advisory council and works with local employers to expose students to in-demand and growing industries in their local communities. It is their goal to increase the number of students and local areas served, and to ensure that every high school student with a disability in Florida has access to HSHT. This is a tremendous lift (i.e., building the capacity to serve over 100,000 students) and will require many partners and funders throughout the state. HSHT has a twenty-five-year history of success including a 99% graduation rate and 82% of graduates entering post-secondary education/employment. HSHT currently serves an average of 1200 students per year.