Be the Difference: One Hug At A Time

🌍 Global Hug Club

Join the Hug Club — One Hug at a Time!
We’re on a mission to share one million hugs around the world.
Share your hugs throughout the year, or join us for
Global Hugs Weekend takes place the first weekend of May.

Every hug counts.

MILLION HUG MISSION Every hug makes a difference.

COUNTDOWN TO OUR NEXT GLOBAL HUG WEEKEND

HUG-O-METER

Days

Hours

Minutes

Why Hugs Matter

Hugs can remind people they are seen, valued, and not alone. They comfort grief, celebrate joy, ease stress, and create connection sometimes without a single word being spoken.

From big bear hugs to quick embraces, every invited and welcomed hug matters. Each one is offered with kindness, respect, care, and consent never expectation.

The mission is simple: create more human connection in this beautiful and messy world, one hug at a time.

Please follow local safety guidelines and always honor personal boundaries when sharing hugs.

✨ Ready to be part of the mission?

You can participate in whatever way feels right for you:

Share hugs year-round as part of the everyday mission
Join or host a gathering during Global Hug Weekend
Track your hugs toward the Million Hug Mission or simply spread kindness without counting

Photos and stories are always appreciated, but not required to participate.

Grief and a Hug: An elderly woman slowly made her way to the hug line, eyes filled with tears. Her husband had passed away just two weeks earlier. She said she missed his hugs. We stood together, held each other, and cried. That moment reminded me of how healing a simple hug can be.

It All Started with a Hug: In Key West, a woman from Morocco hugged me tightly and kept smiling. We barely shared a language, but that hug led to a deep friendship. It brought us from the Southernmost Point to shared dinners in Paris. It’s a story I’ll carry forever.

Choosing Hope: A man going through a rough time had planned to head to the bar that day. Instead, he stumbled across our hug line. After receiving hugs from the team, he changed course and went home. A few days later, his friend reached out to say, “Those hugs made all the difference.”

Right Place, Right Time: At the local farmers market, a woman approached and softly said, “I hoped you’d be here today. I could use a hug.” After we embraced, she shared she was entering hospice the next day. She smiled, thanked me, and walked away. I’ll never forget her.

The Hug They Didn’t Expect: During a protest against police brutality, we set up our hug station nearby. As tensions eased and the crowd moved on, three officers quietly approached us. They each received a hug and thanked us. You could see it in their eyes, they needed the connection too.

Watch, Listen, and Learn
More About Our Hug Club

The original video that

inspired it all.

A beautiful song written by

my friend Kris Voelker

Welcome to the Global Hugs Community!

🌎 Global Hugs Weekend 2026

CONTINENTS (2)

EUROPE

NORTH AMERICA

COUNTRIES (4)

BULGARIA:
Rossi

CANADA:

Calgary (Alberta): Giuliana

SCOTLAND:
Dundee: Brenda

UNITED STATES:
(see states info)

UNITED STATES (12)

CALIFORNIA:
Oceanside: Lynn

FLORIDA:
Key West: Loretta & Nancy

Orlando & Sarasota: Jenny

ILLINOIS:
Chicago: Carol & Tony
Chicagoland: Sheryl
Itasca: Katherine

IOWA
Belleview: Bonnie

MINNESOTA
Carlos: Mavis
Twin Cities: Jacqueline

NORTH CAROLINA
Cary: Gail
Henderson: Rose-Marie

OHIO
Bay Village: Gina & Dave

PENNSYLVANIA
Doylestown: Edie
Scranton: Vanessa

TENNESSEE:
Maryville: Genna

TEXAS:
Austin: Mindy

WASHINGTON

Seattle: Christine

WISCONSIN

Ashland: Kate

Bayfield: Kate

Milwaukee: Hot Chocolate

Washburn: Kate

US cont.

Global Hug Locations

Upcoming Annual Event — 2027

CONTINENTS (1)

NORTH AMERICA

See state tab for information

COUNTRIES (1)

UNITED STATES

See US results

US STATES (2)

ILLINOIS

Chicago: Carol & Tony (public)

PENNSYLVANIA

Doylestown: Edie (public)

The (Y) behind names signifies they would like to meet other huggers in their area.

If you choose yes on the registration form, then I will connect you via email with other huggers in your area who also chose yes.

(That is the ONLY time I would share your email address)

PREVIOUS HUG LOCATIONS

Since 2008

CONTINENTS: 7 | COUNTRIES: 51 |US STATES: 37

Desmond Tutu (twice)

Juan Mann (founder of free hugs)

Humanity’s Team

CONTINENTS (7)

Africa

Antarctica

Asia

Australasia/Oceania

Europe

North America

South America

COUNTRIES (51)

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Serbia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam

US STATES (37)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey,

New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

Other

British Virgin Islands, Guam, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Washington DC

About Global Hugs

Founded by Carol CC Miller in 2008, Global Hugs is a worldwide kindness initiative rooted in human connection and the belief that small moments can create meaningful change.

Each year, Global Hug Weekend encourages people around the world to share invited hugs, kindness, and encouragement in their communities while many participants continue the mission year-round in everyday life.

At its heart, Global Hugs exists to help people feel seen, valued, connected, and reminded that they matter one hug at a time.

About Positive Focus

Founded by Carol CC Miller, Positive Focus began as a kindness-centered movement rooted in the belief that small shifts in how we think, speak, and show up for one another can create meaningful change.

Through encouragement, mindset work, hugs, and human connection, Positive Focus has always been about helping people feel seen, valued, and reminded that they matter.

At its core, the mission is simple: create more compassion, connection, and intentional kindness in this beautiful and messy world.