Free Mom Hugs Inc

It’s Pride Month, and Nice News is supporting the LGBTQ+ community by hosting a fundraiser for Free Mom Hugs. The nonprofit, founded by Sara Cunningham as she embarked on a journey to accept and celebrate her gay son, is dedicated to spreading love to people in the community who struggle to find acceptance from their parents or immediate family members.

“It’s not Free Mom Hugs’ intention or mission to replace anyone’s mother. … We are always hopeful that the parent will come around,” Cunningham told Nice News. “But until they do, we want to be that loving presence in the lives of those who need it the most.”

The organization has chapters in all 50 states and even some affiliated organizations overseas. Giving out hugs at pride parades is their bread and butter, but the chapters also support their local LGBTQ+ communities in any way they can, from sending out cards and care packages to hosting second chance proms.

“We call that very first hug that a volunteer might give at the very first pride festival they attend ‘the spark,’” Cunningham said. “I think that’s the essence of humanity — when we acknowledge each other, it’s not only good for the hugger, but it’s good for the hug-ee.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go directly to Free Mom Hugs. Click here to read more of Cunningham’s interview with Nice News, and here to find a chapter near you and access the nonprofit’s resources.

More about Nice News: Nice News is an email series and website that curates positive news. We send uplifting stories to subscribers’ inboxes each morning featuring significant innovations, advancements in health and wellness, everyday heroes, and more.

Free Mom Hugs works to empower the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. We embrace people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. Our goal is to change the world simply by showing up.

Founded by a fierce advocate and mother, Free Mom Hugs provides visibility, conversation, and education with the hope of reconciling relationships. We sincerely believe that broken family relationships can be restored, and we work to equip family members, friends, and allies with valuable resources so they can love well.

Our goal is not to replace family relationships, but to display our celebration and love for the LGBTQIA+ community so that family members feel encouraged to do the same. Though we’re known as Free Mom Hugs, we welcome dads, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and friends to be part of this movement of inclusion fueled by love. Our desire is that this work restores relationships, and that families are reconciled through the hope and power of Sara and Parker’s story.

The programs and initiatives we use to accomplish our mission vary, but most often include: