A Better Understanding

08/03/2026

UPDATE: This event has been cancelled due to lack of interest.

🌴🎉 One of the BEST afternoons of the summer is almost here! 🎉🌴

Grab your friends and join us for the ABU Summer Bash on Saturday, August 15 for an afternoon full of smiles, laughter, and unforgettable memories!

🎶 Dance to great music
🍕 Enjoy delicious food
🎲 Play Bingo
🤝 Meet new friends
💙 Celebrate inclusion in a fun, welcoming community!

📍 Mechanicsville Moose Lodge
🕐 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
🎟️ Just $5 per person

⏰ Register by August 14 so we can save your spot!

👉 https://givebutter.com/abu-summer-dance

Whether you’re coming to dance, laugh, play, or simply enjoy a great afternoon, there’s something for everyone. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! ☀️🕺💃💙

07/09/2026

UPDATE: This event has been cancelled due to lack of engagement.

🎉☀️ Get ready for the party of the summer! ☀️🎉

Put on your dancing shoes and join us for the ABU Summer Dance Party on Saturday, August 15, from 1:00–4:00 PM at the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge!

🎶 Dance to your favorite songs
🕺 Hang out with amazing friends
💃 Make unforgettable memories
🎉 Enjoy an afternoon filled with fun, laughter, and community!

🎟️ Tickets are only $5!
📅 Be sure to register by August 13 to save your spot!

👉 Register today: https://givebutter.com/abu-summer-dance

Bring your best dance moves—we’ll bring the music! We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💙✨

12/05/2025

Mark your calendars! Our ABU Christmas Party is coming up fast!

We’re bringing the community together for an unforgettable afternoon of holiday fun, visits with Santa, and bingo just to name a few!

Make sure to come hungry! Food will be proudly provided by Lil’ Mike’s Kitchen, one of Richmond’s favorite local food trucks.

Tickets are on sale now, and they have been going quickly!
https://givebutter.com/abu-xmas

This event directly supports A Better Understanding’s mission to create a more inclusive, welcoming community. Your ticket isn’t just admission — it’s impact.

Join us, bring your friends, and start the season with meaning and joy.

See you there!

By ABU Events

12/01/2025

Tickets are selling FAST for our ABU Christmas Party on Saturday, December 13th at the Richmond East Moose Lodge!

Head to https://givebutter.com/abu-xmas to get your tickets for this great event today!

By ABU Events

11/25/2025

🙏🏻🪽

REST IN PEACE: William Gibson, a longtime volunteer and Santa with the Salvation Army Angel Tree program has died.

"My dad was amazing and my heart is aching, huge loss for me as well as my mom and brother, but I’m glad he no longer has pain," his daughter said.

Story: https://www.12onyourside.com/2025/11/25/salvation-army-santa-dies-after-decades-christmas-service/

11/25/2025

It is with profound sadness that we share that our beloved Sensory Santa, William “Bill” Gibson, has passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. For our organization and for the families we serve, he brought a kind of holiday magic that went far beyond the red suit.

Bill had a rare gift. As Sensory Santa, he created a calm, welcoming, and sensory-friendly space where every child- especially those with sensory sensitivities or disabilities- could meet Santa in a way that felt safe, joyful, and completely understood. Families who often struggled with traditional holiday events finally had a place where their children could shine, and that was because of him.

To all of us who worked alongside him, Sensory Santa wasn’t simply a role he played. It was an expression of his heart: gentle, patient, compassionate, and deeply dedicated to making sure every child felt included and celebrated.

His absence will be felt profoundly, especially during a season he made brighter for so many. But his legacy lives on in the memories he created, the families he touched, and the example he set for all of us.

Rest in peace, Sensory Santa. Thank you for sharing your light, your kindness, and your magic with our community. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. ❤️💚