Our 14th annual Live It Up! gala on Thursday, October 29, 2026, was a meaningful fundraiser for our nonprofit mission and a night full of connections and community.
If you missed this year’s special event, we’ve shared a recap of a few special highlights below.
See the Photos
See professional photos from our returning photographer Jeff Anderson through our Facebook Album and browse your photobooth photos:
The Impact of Live It Up! 2026
Greeted by our silent auction, cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, and a plated dinner by Best of the Main Line’s John Serock Catering, a sold-out crowd of over 380 guests joined us this year at The Drexelbrook to support Help Hope Live.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised over $180,000 at Live It Up! 2026. This support helps ease the financial burden for people facing serious medical challenges.
Our 2026 Honorees
Our 2026 Help Award honoree Amanda Parezo, OTD, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist, educator, advocate, and model based in Philadelphia.
She also is a gun violence survivor. Paralyzed from the waist down after being struck by a stray bullet while sitting in an East Kensington, PA playground after a kickball game in 2021, Amanda now navigates the world from her wheelchair.
With more than 16 years of experience in rehabilitation and community health, she is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at Thomas Jefferson University. We are pleased to recognize her this year for having skillfully transformed her personal trauma into purpose-driven advocacy, emerging as a nationally recognized voice in accessibility, adaptive recreation, and gun violence awareness.
Our 2026 Hope Award honoree Cristina L. Sadowsky, MD, is Clinical Director and Co-Founder of the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore and a Professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Every day, Cristina works to restore hope and independence for children and adults with spinal cord-related paralysis and other injuries. She has created a globally recognized model of lifelong, integrated care for individuals with SCI/D, setting a national standard and influencing leading programs in the U.S. and worldwide.
Her work is grounded in the philosophy that functional restoration is activity-dependent and best achieved through structured medical rehabilitation.
Our 2026 Live award honoree is Abilities Expo by Raccoon Media Group, accepted by Katy Roberts, Managing Director USA, Abilities Expo.
Hosted in a variety of major U.S. cities, Abilities Expos are free-to-attend events that serve as an accessible hub for the latest in assistive technology, adaptive sports, and transportation and resources to enhance daily living experiences for people with disabilities.
Led by Katy Roberts, Managing Director of Abilities Expo and Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group, Abilities Expos offer a rare opportunity for people in the disability community to learn about critical resources and network with others living with similar disabilities to their own.
And our 2026 Rainey Award honoree for Volunteer of the Year is Jeremy Babener, Esq., Structured Legal.
Jeremy Babener, Esq. received the 2026 Rainey Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and advocacy as the initiator of the Plaintiff Fund, which has created a critical lifeline to assist injured individuals in their physical and mental recovery.
In November 2025, Jeremy led a $1 million pledge to help those facing significant medical and financial challenges. Of this commitment, $750,000 is directed to assisting plaintiffs through community-led medical fundraising efforts.
The Plaintiff Fund supports plaintiffs both before and after they navigate the legal system and has already helped launch three new Help Hope Live client campaigns.
Our special thanks to returning emcee Cherri Gregg and Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, both of whom infused our evening’s festivities with hope, grace, and meaning with their remarks.
Highlights from Live It Up! 2026
In addition to the meaning and impact delivered by our honorees and presenters, our 2026 gala was full of community thanks to the presence of Help Hope Live’s client and Ambassador community, partners, donors, Board of Directors, team members, returning volunteers, and committee members.
Extend the Impact
If you joined us at the gala, or if you enjoyed our festivities from afar, there is still time to be a part of the year’s most generous season of help, hope, and change. Make your tax-deductible donation to Help Hope Live today, and read about the families impacted by our mission:
