Join Hugs Across America and friends for our annual cocktail party on Saturday, November 16, 2013, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club. 455 Main Street, Port Washington, NY.

Cost is $100 per person and includes buffet dinner, open wine bar and silent auction. This is our annual fundraiser with proceeds to support our program.

This year we honor Stella Spanakos, founding member of the Elija School for Autism and have also founded two foundation that benefit young adults with special needs; the Nicholas Center for Autism and Spectrum Designs Foundation LTD.

Cocktail party entertainment to be provided by Music from Broadway.

With the worst wildfire in Colorado history more than half-contained, evacuation orders for most of the 35,000 people displaced by the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs were lifted late Sunday, and residents were allowed to return to their homes—or what's left of them.

"To find my mail in my mailbox, unscathed—it's just unreal," C.J. Moore, whose home was "reduced to ashes," told The Associated Press. "Bird baths are fine. Some of the foliage is fine."

The 17,659-acre, 28-square-mile blaze burned at least 346 homes, killed two people and devastated neighborhoods in Colorado Springs.

These people will return to the shelters set up by the American Red Cross, as even thinking about rebuilding in the face of such loss will take months. 200 Hugs Across America teddies await their return and are already in the arms of those who could not get to their residences. For the children such loss is not comprehendible, and a hug from folks who care sure helps

This fire has been referred to as a “super fire” because of the area’s extremely dry conditions, which coupled with high-speed winds — up to 60 mph — cause the flames to hurtle from treetop to treetop and burn so hot that firefighters can’t get close.

Vehicles damaged by a tornado lie in the parking lot of the Henryville Jr./Sr. High School in Henryville, Ind., Saturday, March 3, 2012. A string of violent storms demolished small towns in Indiana and cut off rural communities in Kentucky as an early season tornado outbreak killed more than 30 people, and the death toll rose as daylight broke on Saturday's search for survivors. The local American Red Cross will be placing Hugs teddies on the beds of 4 different shelters set up for the survivors of the town and will also be bringing bears to medical facilities for the injured.

Over 200 bears have arrived to help bring comfort to those who lost so much.

Nicole Bompart - Director

“A church approached us and asked if we would be willing to take on a building project for an orphanage in Port-A-Prince. A Haitian Pastor (Pastor Nae Nae) and his wife (Morina) had taken in 35-orphaned children after the earthquake. Since September of 2010, EWOI has been partnering with Pastor Nae Nae and Morina providing food and other resources. Pastor Nae Nae, Morina, their five children and the 35 orphans are currently living in the bottom level of a house. The house they rent has six very small rooms, an outdoor area for cooking, one bathroom and one shower. It is a very difficult living situation. These children need a permanent, safe home. “

Nicole’s husband, David, was stabbed to death a couple of weeks ago at a bank in Haiti. He was removing funds for the building of an orphanage to help the orphaned children Pastor Nae Nae has been housing. It is Nicole’s wish that this project continue …. Our teddies have arrived to help the children deal with their lives of loss. Hugs of Hope as they are called are a welcome sight to the children as well as their adult comforters.