Help Us Gather (HUG), a Tampa Bay nonprofit dedicated to creating social opportunities for individuals with disabilities has been selected as one of 35 outstanding organizations to receive a $40,000 grant from Phillies Charities, Inc.
On Tuesday, team members talked to ABC Action News before their flight to Philadelphia to watch the game with 50 guests.
"Now I'm flying out to Philly with them to accept this super cool honor as a Community Hero. And I feel super honored to be a part of that and to make a difference in our community here in Tampa," said Ashley Griffith.
The money will go towards bringing more events for the HUG community. The team tries to plan at least one event per month.
"If you're a HUG friend, we got lots in store for you. We're gonna be doing a huge Cinco de Mayo party with live mariachi bands. And we just really like to host events that are inclusive for all people of all different backgrounds, all different capabilities," she said.
HUG was founded seven years ago by Robin Lally.
"I started HUG to help my older brother. He has autism, and he moved to Tampa Bay to be close to me and my husband, and when he did, we saw that despite how much time we spent with him, there was a void that we couldn't fill," she explained. "I just kept searching and looking for things for him to do, and I couldn't find it, so I decided, 'Okay, I'm going to spend a few hours a week and make a small community calendar', and the rest was history."
It's become a turning point for Drew Rebilas.
"HUG is a very good place for autistic people like myself, and it's our home," he said.
Drew's mother says she went through a similar journey as Lally when she found HUG.
"We were actually just in a sad moment for Drew. He was struggling to find friends," she explained. "I just did a simple Google search for special needs outings, and HUG was the one that showed up."
Robin Lally noted that Drew's experience is not unique. At a recent event, a parent confided in her about his son feeling isolated and struggling to make connections.
"He said that his only friends were his dad's friends," she recounted. "Despite being 20 years old, he felt so alone that he broke down in tears earlier that week. Now, watching him thrive and connect at HUG events is transformational.”
HUG is accepting donations. Either your time or your money.
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