Judy Broom, a 12-year veteran of the Richardson and Dallas-area elementary classrooms, was permanently disabled after a devastating back injury in 1984. In 1990, after a few major back surgeries, she became totally disabled. Feeling hopeless and searching for direction in her life, she awoke in pain one night and turned on the TV. A program about the plight of Romanian orphans touched her heart. The next night she watched a second program, 20/20, about the babies in the Romanian orphanages. The following day she received a letter from a friend with an enclosed clipping from People Magazine about the orphans. Feeling compelled to act, and recognizing that God did indeed have a mission for her life despite the diagnostic and constant pain, Judy planned to travel to Romania to, if nothing else, hug the babies. Considering it an opportunity to turn her disability into something positive, a way to help others, she founded HUG to improve the lives of orphans in Romania. She wants to make sure that many of the children will receive what she believes is important - a simple hug.

Today Judy Broom continues to serve as President and Executive Director of Humanity United in Giving, Internationally, Inc.