Meet our Team

Meet Ivan Vila-President:

Ivan was born in Peru and has been living in the United States since the year 2000. He has a masters degree in Counseling and Education and works for a nonprofit company helping the immigrant community. Helping others has always been in his blood and he feels confident in the success of HUGS being that everyone on the team is willing to go the extra mile to help others!

Meet Emma Vila Gillam- Vice-President:

Born and raised in a small town in the mountains of Huancayo, Peru, Emma cultivated her passion for helping others at a young age as she witnessed the many life-changing works they brought to her hometown.

Her passion for helping the Latino community grew as she moved to Philadelphia, PA and earned a

Meet Emma Vila Gillam- Vice-President:

Her passion for helping the Latino community grew as she moved to Philadelphia, PA and earned a Masters of Arts in Counseling and post-graduate ABA program at St. Joseph's University.

Her 18+ years of experience at one of Philadelphia's largest non profit organizations, Children's Crisis Treatment Center, led to the development of the nonprofit H.U.G.S. (Humanity United for Global Support)

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Meet Emily Vila- Director of External Affairs:

As a graduate from Temple University with a degree in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Emily has developed a passion for youth and young adult empowerment. With previous experience leading major organizations such as Asociacion de Estudiantes Latinos during her undergraduate years, Emily has a love for serving the Latino community in Philadelphia. Through her work with Puentes de Salud and other immigrant-focused organizations, she has been able to successfully strategize and implement fresh approaches to grow HUGS' networking immensely.

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Meet Michael Barbera- Director of Financial Affairs:

Michael has worked as an investment advisor since 2015. He enjoys helping people reach their financial and retirement goals. With Series 7 and Series 63 certifications, Michael is also working on his Enrolled Agent certification to become a licensed tax advisor. After visiting Huancayo, Peru during one of HUGS' trips, Michael discovered his love for the Latino community and looks forward to helping HUGS in their financial planning.

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Who We Are

What We Believe IN

HUGS is here to help you connect with other parents who know what you are going through, as well as help you find the support and services you need to improve the quality of life for your child and family.

We promote partnership with families, professionals, and the community at large, because it is through partnership that we create a community where our children can thrive.

We also create training groups with parents who have children with similar special needs that provide information. The program works in a very simple way. parents who are trained and through experience are empowered to support parents who are new to the program.

What We Believe IN

Love of God and Our Neighbors

Human Dignity

Mutual Respect

Service Vocation

Integrity and Responsibility

Honesty and transparency are necessary for the efficient and effective functioning of our organization.

OUR PROGRAMS

ZUMBATHONS®

PADRES SANOS, HIJOS SANOS

HUGS ENGLISH LESSONS

HUGS came up with the idea of hosting fundraising events with the support of the Zumba® community. These events called Zumbathons®, help raise money to support families and give people access to dance with Zumba® instructors in different countries virtually through the Zoom platform. All proceeds raised go towards this cause and any amount donated is appreciated.

We hosted two Dance 4 Hope Zumbathons and with the money raised, we were able to help pay the rent of families whose lives were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

HUGS ENGLISH LESSONS

PADRES SANOS, HIJOS SANOS

HUGS ENGLISH LESSONS

Our weekly English lessons have finally begun! We are excited to implement a new and fun-filled way for our parents to learn conversational English through activities and engaging one-on-one practice.

PADRES SANOS, HIJOS SANOS

Our Padres Sanos, Hijos Sanos program has officially launched! We are supporting the Spanish-speaking immigrant parents and children of the NorthEast Philadelphia region in their transition to this country.

Our team is serving as a liaison towards available resources for all mental health, clinical health, food, transportation, and legal needs.

We have also integrated weekly workshops in which our HUGS team hosts discussions on important mental health topics. We invite professionals from different areas and specialities to educate our members on how to live a more fulfilled life amongst the trials and adversities faced during transition.