Creating a world where everyone is .

Let's Get Together

Exercise, arts, hang-outs—HUG’s community calendars include tons of fun events and activities from more than 80 local organizations. Click below to see local programs specifically designed for children, teens and adults with special needs.

Children

Teens

Adults

Let's Be Friends

We want you to hang out with us. Check out the awesome, HUG-hosted events below.

Accessible Beaches

We all deserve a fun, relaxing day at the beach.
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Sadly, getting onto a sandy beach is either incredibly difficult or simply impossible for many individuals with mobility challenges. At HUG, we believe having a disability should never prevent a person from enjoying equal access to our natural resources. That’s why we are on a mission to ensure our beautiful beaches are safe, easy to find, and accessible for all.
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Click the button below to find a list of the best beaches in Southwest Florida that offer wheelchair access, mobility mats, handicap-accessible parking, and other amenities to ensure your next day at the beach can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.

Find Accessible Beaches

Help HUG Spread Love and Inclusion by Donating Tee Shirts for Adults with Disabilities

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Inspiring Entrepreneurs

They have the ambition and ability, HUG forged an avenue to success. Check out the stories of how HUG turned these talented individuals with disabilities into (paid!) models, designers, musicians and more.

Introducing “We Include”

You asked, HUG answered!
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Our successes with HUG showed us we needed to make a bigger corner of the world that embraced people with disabilities—way bigger.
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That’s why HUG created We Include, a national advocacy platform that aims to create a more inclusive world for people with disabilities.

We Include is HUG’s national platform for inclusion born out of our local success.
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This new site is full of research that’s on the cutting-edge of inclusion. You’ll find impactful interviews with celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs, and disability influencers. And, we have curated simple and effective strategies for schools, businesses and society to include people with disabilities in every facet of life.
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We Include is a bold, empowering, and inspiring voice – and we know it’s exactly what the world needs to hear as we make a more inclusive world together.

Join Us

HUG’s “How Do You Include?” Campaign

Everybody loves our HUG Ambassadors. You will, too, in this public education campaign we launched starring our inclusion champions. They’ll walk you through a first-person perspective on the beauty of inclusion and how simple it is to build a better world.

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What They're Saying About HUG

HUG is a great organization for people with special needs to find various activities in the community. I am so grateful to find HUG because I just moved to Clearwater, Florida and I needed to make friends my own age. Now, I have lots of friends and I have a full calendar filled with fun activities.

Neetha ErukullaHUG Ambassador, Volunteer

As a child and now a young adult, I struggled with social interaction. Even now it is so nice to connect with others that share the same challenges. The website is an amazing opportunity for people of all ages with disabilities to help people with social skills and to connect with one another.

Rachel BarcellonaMiss Manatee River 2019, Board Member CARD-USF, Ambassador Unicorn Children’s Foundation

We are so excited to have the Help Us Gather website to share our programs and help in providing information to group homes, Adult Day Training programs, parents, companions and others who work with or love the developmentally disabled.

Horton TownesDirector, St. Paul Handicapable Ministry

This website is a necessity because it allows people with disabilities or the parent of a person with a disability to easily find events in their neighborhood that can bring them together. They have a variety of choices for all ages and I truly think that this website is a positive step in uniting the special needs community.

Katherine MagnoliMiss Wheelchair Florida 2017, Author and Radio Host

Before I found HUG, my daughter was becoming depressed because she was lonely. I found the HUG website, and now she has too many things to do! She has so many friends. Her health is better now because she’s happy. It’s just wonderful.

Rose KingMother of Christine King, HUG Ambassador

I could not be happier for being involved with such a great organization like HUG. This organization fills a great need for the special needs community in bringing it into the 21st century, which allows for awareness and acceptance to be spread faster than before. This is the reason I am proud to of become an Ambassador for HUG!

Mark FlemingFounder, Puzzle Piece Fitness

HelpUsGather.org was created to connect people with special needs and their families to social events and activities in the community. Feeling disconnected or isolated has a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. HUG’s mission is to help create a more inclusive world for people of all abilities.

Robin LallyFounder, Help Us Gather

Featured Stories

Wanna know what we love at HUG? Creating a more inclusive world by showing off our amazing friends and inspiring people to embrace those of us with disabilities. The good vibes behind HUG are catching on—take a look at these top stories.

Let's Connect

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    Ready to help grow an inclusive community?