Kelly Haskins ’91, a radio‑TV graduate, began Mom Hugs Day in 2022 as a tribute to her late son Hunter, a former UCF student who died in 2021. The event, now in its fifth year, is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon until 2 p.m. at Ferrell Commons and has grown from two participating mothers to about 50. Moms provide free hugs, pre‑packaged snacks and water, and the UCF Police Department therapy dog Chipper makes appearances. Students who appear to be struggling are connected to Counseling and Psychological Services or Student Health Services, and the event is organized by Haskins’s nonprofit Do It for Hunter in partnership with UCF Wellness and Health Promotions Services.
Haskins, who moved from Michigan to Merritt Island in ninth grade, is married to Andrew Haskins ’97 and is the mother of Haley ’16 and Hannah ’18. After her son’s death, she began speaking with teenagers about coping with setbacks and hosts an annual You Matter Day at his high school while promoting suicide‑awareness benches in the community. The event was inspired by a retired couple who offered hugs on campus, and Haskins launched it while serving as vice president of marketing at Launch Credit Union, using a PTO day each year to run the program. WHPS Director Stephanie Spies has helped coordinate the event since its inception, and it has expanded to Florida Atlantic University with interest from other Florida campuses.
Press release issued by UCF Today:
https://www.ucf.edu/news/the-heartfelt-story-behind-ucf-alums-annual-mom-hugs-day/
🤖 AI-assisted content notice: This item was written with AI assistance from the source document linked above. The underlying facts come from that public source, not from our own reporting. No quotes, interviews or original reporting are implied. Spotted something wrong? Email corrections@theorlandoconnect.com.
