Help Us Gather - HUG

Dear HUG Community-

As HUG sunsets today, my heart is full of gratitude for the incredible years we’ve shared together. What we built from 2017 to 2026 was more than a program. It was a family.

While HUG events and calendars have concluded, my email and the HUG page will remain available during this transition. If you need help reconnecting with a HUG friend, you are welcome to reach out, and I will do my best to guide you.

Most of all, I hope you continue gathering, supporting one another, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen and valued. Things may look different, but the family we created remains, and the joy we shared will always matter.

With love and deep appreciation,
Robin 🧡

"The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you've come." 🧡

We've taken a stroll all the way back to our early beginnings: the first time HUG hit the national news. 30 Stories/30 Minutes with FOX reached viewers across the nation, and features Robin and Rick sharing a bit of their story and the inspiration for HUG.

👉 Watch the clip here:

FOX names HUG in 30 Stories/30 Minutes for work with inclusion for people with disabilities Help Us Gather, HUG, is a nonprofit organization that advocates for inclusion and connects individuals with disabilities to social events and activities in t...

Hi HUG community- Robin here!

I have been overjoyed to hear that some of you are interested in starting your own social groups as a way to remain connected in light of HUG sunsetting!

Reminder: simple, small gatherings can be just as fun and impactful as larger events (HUG was once just a handful of friends hanging out) 🤗

Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any questions or are seeking mentorship on getting started. 🧡

For many years, HUG held Beyond Incredible (also known as Beyond Beautiful initially in 2018). Beyond Beautiful was a glamorous and highly anticipated event that celebrated our friends with disabilities. ✨

These black-tie events included red-carpet entry, professional photos, glam stations for ladies, spiff-up stations for men, a catered dinner, an inspiring program, and dancing. They embodied all that HUG stood for, and are events we reflect back on fondly. 💜

HUG hosted this gala so people of all abilities could experience the glitter of a special event and feel loved, pampered, and most of all, socially included.

🎥 Take a look back at the event from 2018 in its earliest form:

Beyond Beautiful 2018 Recap Help Us Gather, or HUG, is a nonprofit organization in Tampa, Florida. HUG's mission is to advocate for inclusion and connect individuals with disabilities t...

Picture this: 200 HUG friends having fun in the sun, birthday cupcakes and beach sandwiches, a stunning sunset, a summery dance lesson, Sand Key’s mobility mat ensuring accessibility for all, live magic, a fierce limbo and tug-of-war competition, and sand games galore! 👏

All of this and more took place this past Saturday at HUG’s Inclusive Beach Party at Sand Key Park. 🏖☀🌴

Thank you to the Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources Department for ensuring Sand Key Park's Mobility Mat was extended and ready just in time for us!

We want to give a special shout out to the Tampa Bay Sun Foundation for gifting us an adaptive soccer ball that was a prime highlight of the afternoon, as well as Publix for a generous donation that helps us make events like this one happen. 🙌

HUG is so grateful for each and every smiling face that came out to hang, brought the energy and vibes, and helped us celebrate Robin's birthday early! 🥳

Thanks for partying with us, and we hope you had as much of a blast as we did! Be sure to tag HUG in your photos from the event, let us know what your favorite activity of the afternoon was, and drop your photos/videos in the comment section below. 🤗