Registered 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Mission
Our mission is to create inclusive, community-based charitable events that foster connection, promote equity, support individuals with disabilities, and advance pediatric and veteran mental health and prevention initiatives for children, veterans, and underserved populations.
Our Vision: A compassionate and inclusive community where food brings people together, fosters meaningful connections, and creates opportunities for individuals of all abilities and backgrounds to thrive.
Motto:
Give, Laugh, ’Que!
What We Offer:
Inclusive BBQ Events was founded by Kathy and Tom Trainor to bring barbecue back to its roots — community, family, and giving back. After years of competing, judging, and supporting charity BBQ events, they saw firsthand how welcoming the BBQ world could be, especially for kids and veterans.
As parents of two neurodivergent children Kathy and Tom watched their children grow in confidence, communication, and life skills through Kids Q and family-centered cooking experiences. They simplely felt "included." That transformation made one thing clear: BBQ could do more. This is why Inclusive BBQ Events was founded.
Today, Inclusive BBQ Events creates family-friendly charity events focused on kids’ cooking, mental health, disabilities and veterans. Through hands-on experiences and community-driven events, we build life skills, strengthen mental wellness, and bring people together across New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
Support Our Mission: Give. Laugh. Que.
Contact: inclusivebbqevents @ gmail.com
Donate via Venmo or PayPal: InclusiveBBQInc
Affectionately known throughout the BBQ community as Kathy “BBQ MOM,” Trainor is the heart, backbone, and steady force behind our organization.
She serves in many roles — Executive Director, Media Maven, Organizer, Community Liaison, and Volunteer Recruiter — not as titles, but as acts of service. Kathy is the person people turn to for answers, reassurance, and direction, ensuring that every event and initiative unfolds with intention, care, and inclusion from start to finish.
With more than 25 years of non-profit leadership experience, Kathy brings a forward-thinking mindset shaped by compassion, resilience, and lived experience. By day, she applies this same dedication as a special education director, where her commitment to education, advocacy, and professional development continues to make a lasting impact.
By evening, Kathy seamlessly steps into what she jokingly calls the role of an air traffic controller — guiding the complex, beautiful rhythm of family life while raising two boys, navigating disabilities and mental health challenges, and simultaneously steering the ongoing work of the non-profit. It is in this balance of leadership and love that her strength is most evident.
Kathy is also a nationally recognized advocate for including children and veterans — especially those with disabilities — in cooking and food-centered experiences. She understands that food is more than nourishment; it is connection, confidence, and belonging. Her insight into the social, emotional, and developmental power of culinary engagement has led to invitations to speak at events across the country.
With BBQ MOM the organization thrives through her exceptional leadership, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion. Her work continues to create spaces where people are seen, valued, and welcomed — making a meaningful difference in mental health, disabilities, social equity, and community connection, one event and person at a time.
BBQ Tom is more than smoke and sauce — he is family, laughter, and a folding chair pulled up just for you.
Named lovingly after his other half, BBQ MOM, Tom believes barbecue should be welcoming to everyone. New teams, seasoned pros, neighbors, kids, judges, and even the person who “just stopped by to look” all receive the same invitation: if you are here, you belong.
Tom shows up for everything from start to finish, but more importantly, he shows up for people. He has a gift for making newcomers feel at ease, lifting others up louder than he lifts himself, and reminding everyone why they fell in love with BBQ in the first place.
He is the person who helps a new team feel settled, cheers hardest for others, shares advice, food, laughter, and occasionally a cold drink, and keeps barbecue fun, friendly, and family-first. Yes, sweaty man hugs are absolutely part of the experience.
BBQ Tom winners do not just serve great barbecue — they serve kindness, encouragement, and a genuine desire to give back.
Whether he is acting as Event MC, working the field, or quietly supporting the cause behind the scenes, Tom does whatever it takes to ensure everyone feels included and supported.
And yes… he is absolutely the kind of guy who will rock some coconuts, laugh far too hard, and lean fully into the joy of the moment — all in the name of making sure everyone is having a good time.
Because at the end of the day, BBQ is not just about winning.
Give. Laugh. Que.
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