Tag Archive for: belonging

July 2026 Events at REACH: Connection, Creativity & Community

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July 2026 Events at REACH: Connection, Creativity & Community

Summer is a wonderful time to reconnect, create, and spend time with people who truly understand your journey. This July, REACH Ministries invites individuals and families affected by HIV to join us for a variety of welcoming support groups and creative activities—both online and in person.

Whether you’re looking for encouragement, meaningful conversation, or simply a place where you belong, we’d love to see you.

💚 Positive Adults Support Group

📅 Monday, July 13 & 27
🕛 12:00 PM
📍 Zoom

A welcoming support group for adults (18+) living with HIV. Join us for conversation, encouragement, and connection in a safe, confidential space. Whether you feel like sharing your experiences or simply listening, you are always welcome.

🎨 Creative Expressions

📅 Tuesday, July 21
🕚 11:00 AM
📍 REACH Office

Take a break from the busyness of life and enjoy a relaxing morning of creativity. No artistic experience is needed—just come ready to create, connect, and enjoy time together with friends.

Creative Expressions is open to adults who enjoy hands-on projects, conversation, and building community in a welcoming environment.

❤️ Moms of Young Kids Group

📅 Tuesday, July 21
🕛 12:00 PM
📍 REACH Office

Immediately following Creative Expressions, moms are invited to stay for our Moms of Young Kids Group.

This supportive gathering offers a chance to connect with other mothers who understand the unique joys and challenges of raising young children while navigating life with HIV. Share stories, ask questions, and build lasting friendships in a caring and confidential environment.

💜 Lifetime Survivors Support Group

📅 Wednesday, July 22
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 Zoom

Created specifically for adults who have lived with HIV since childhood or early in life, this group provides a unique space to connect with others who share similar experiences.

Together we celebrate resilience, offer encouragement, and build lasting friendships through honest conversation and mutual support.

💻 Creative Expressions Club

📅 Tuesday, July 28
🕔 5:00 PM
📍 Zoom

Our Creative Expressions Club brings creativity right to your home! Participants receive a project kit in advance and join us on Zoom as we create together.

This interactive program is a fun way to stay connected, explore new projects, and enjoy an evening of creativity with the REACH community.

You’re Always Welcome

At REACH Ministries, we believe everyone deserves a place where they are accepted, supported, and celebrated. Whether you’re joining us for the first time or have been part of our community for years, we look forward to connecting with you this July.

REACH welcomed 13 First-time Participants to Spring Getaway

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From Hesitation to Belonging: A Spring Getaway Story from REACH Ministries (Tacoma, WA)

“Meryl” and her tween child signed up for the Spring Getaway because a family friend invited them. Meryl and this friend have a long history with each other, and she trusted her friend wouldn’t steer her wrong… but she was concerned that REACH sounded like a religious non-profit and she hoped she wouldn’t be judged or feel out of place for not being religious. She signed up anyway, hoping for the best.

A few days later, Pam called Meryl requesting an intake phone call to start building a relationship in advance of the Getaway. During the usual overview spiel, Pam explained some of the nuances of REACH.
That we focus on fun and laughter to build bonds…
That we don’t talk about HIV from the front or in conversations outside of adult support groups because children might not know their status or their parents’ status…
That we are a Christian non-profit committed to not being preachy or pushy, and our volunteers and participants come from all backgrounds and give us consistently high scores for feeling 100% welcome…
Meryl interrupted, saying, “That makes me feel so much better! I was worried about that religious part!”

From the very first evening at the Getaway, Meryl participated full throttle. Running to get the middle spot in human tic tac toe, jokingly offering the worst possible advice in a game called “Reverse Advice,” prancing along doing the “caterpillar conga” with balloons cushioning her and her teammates’ abdomens. Her face radiated joy.

During our Closing Ceremony, Meryl stood up and shared with the whole group that she had never been in a group of people where she got consistently smiled at in such a sincere way. She couldn’t believe those smiles lasted all weekend. There were no cliques, only the feeling of being completely welcomed and embraced and… smiled at! Her voice quivered for a few of her sentences, but she pressed on, determined to express her appreciation.

It never gets old, seeing people experience the unconditional acceptance of the REACH community for the first time. They sense immediately they are in a judgment-free zone, a place of joy, filled with genuine smiles and listening ears.

*One week after the Getaway, Meryl let us know they were having “withdrawals.” She said they felt it as soon as they drove away from the venue on the last day of the Getaway, and it hasn’t subsided yet. We reminded her that she can join us for Zoom support groups twice a month, and the summer picnic and Labor Day Getaway will be here before we know it!