CT Collaborative to End Loneliness

10/02/2026

We did it! 🎉 Connecticut’s first Good Neighbor Day is officially in the books!

More than 80 people came together at UConn Waterbury last week for 'Good Neighbors, Great Communities', a day filled with learning, connection, conversation, and hands-on service.

Together, we explored how we can build community across generations, get involved through volunteerism and civic engagement, and then put those ideas into action through local service projects.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped bring this first CT Good Neighbor Day to life, especially our partners at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute UConn Waterbury, UConn Waterbury, United Way of Greater Waterbury, Connecticut Community Foundation, and the members of the CT Collaborative to End Loneliness.

Thank you to Kathy Taylor, President & CEO of the Connecticut Community Foundation for her passionate keynote to kick off the day, each of our wonderful panel leaders and panelists, Mental Health Connecticut's Jazz Borst, members of the Connecticut Department of Public Health who joined us, and everyone who rolled up their sleeves and volunteered in the afternoon.

And now, we’re looking ahead to 2027. 💚

Good Neighbor Day is meant to be local and community-led. A neighborhood gathering. A volunteer project. A community meal. An intergenerational activity. Whatever brings people together and makes a difference where you live.

We launched it in Waterbury. We can't wait to see what you do with it in 2027, Connecticut neighbors! 👋

09/30/2026

We’re excited to celebrate the launch of Connecticut’s first Good Neighbor Day! 🎉

More than 80 people came together at UConn Waterbury for Good Neighbors, Great Communities — a day of learning, connection, and hands-on service focused on how each of us can help create stronger, more connected communities.

Thank you to CT DPH for highlighting this important effort and to our partners, members of the CT Collaborative to End Loneliness, and everyone who helped bring this inaugural gathering to life.

We look forward to seeing communities across Connecticut create their own Good Neighbor Day celebrations in 2027!

, we’ll share more photos soon.

09/02/2026

What if being a good neighbor could help build a stronger community?

Join us for Connecticut Good Neighbor Day on Thursday, September 24, as we launch this statewide initiative with a community gathering at UConn-Waterbury.

Bring your ideas, your energy, and your willingness to connect. You’ll learn about the power of social connection, meet people from across Connecticut, share a meal, and spend the afternoon working alongside others on hands-on service projects that make a difference for our Waterbury neighbors.

Because stronger communities don’t happen by accident. They happen when we show up for one another.

📅 September 24, 2026
📍 UConn-Waterbury
🤝 Learn. Connect. Serve.

Be part of the launch. Be part of the movement. Be a good neighbor.

Learn more and register today at www.endlonelinessCT.org/good-neighbor-day

08/03/2026

We’re pleased to welcome Jeffrey Stokes, PhD, to the Advisory Council of The Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness.

A sociologist of aging and health and Department Head and Associate Professor of Allied Health Sciences at UConn, Jeff's research focuses on the experience of loneliness among middle aged and older adults who are not socially isolated. They may be married, have adult children, or even friends, yet they still find their social surroundings and connections unsatisfying. He studies the consequences of this loneliness for individuals and their (social) partners, as well as what environments and social activities can reduce feelings of loneliness among the aging population – whether isolated or not.

“Loneliness is not a unique or uncommon experience – it’s universal, really – but it is also a painful, harmful experience with long-term repercussions for health and well-being. It is critical for public health to recognize the role and importance of social connection, for people both young and old, and to find ways to foster that connection in our communities, our families, and our everyday lives. At the end of the day, loneliness isn’t just an unpleasant feeling; it’s a risk factor for a shorter, less satisfying life.”

We’re honored to have Jeff’s expertise helping to advance solutions that strengthen social connection across our communities.

07/07/2026

Big things are growing through connection this summer. 💛

We’re proud to be collaborating with an incredible group of organizations serving Connecticut's disability community to co-create two new social connection programs.

Recently, For All Ages brought together leaders from the Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut - DS ACT, Proud Parents, Connecticut Family Support Network (CTFSN), The Arc Connecticut, Probus Greater Hartford, and NAMI Connecticut, for an educational session on what makes connection programs truly work. From building trust to creating welcoming, inclusive spaces - this is how meaningful connection takes shape.

We’re especially grateful to Mary Swank of Valley Community Baptist Church in Avon, CT for sharing her experience leading the thriving weekly Friendship Community - an inspiring model of what’s possible when connection is intentional, consistent, and open to all.

This is what it looks like when organizations come together to build something bigger than any one program: a more connected, more inclusive community for all.

06/29/2026

Dr. Adam Perrin, Co-Chair and Lead Clinician of the CT Collaborative to End Loneliness Healthcare Provider Workgroup, is helping shift how care happens across Connecticut.

He’s been speaking with clinicians statewide about why loneliness and social isolation are critical health risks that healthcare providers need to embed into patient care protocols.

Most recently, he brought this message to a UConn Health Grand Rounds audience.

Because when connection becomes part of care, outcomes change.

We are grateful to Dr. Perrin for leading the way in bringing social health into clinical practice across Connecticut.

05/28/2026

We’re celebrating a new CT Connection Champion: Conversation and Camaraderie (“C & C”) based in Avon! 💛

Conversation and Camaraderie creates space for men to build meaningful relationships through open, thoughtful dialogue. By bringing men together in a welcoming, supportive environment, C & C helps address the challenges of isolation, loneliness, and sense of purpose that many experience across different stages of life.

Through regular gatherings at the Avon Public Library and nearby libraries that combine connection time with facilitated conversations, participants explore topics shaped by their lived experiences - past and present. At the heart of C & C is the power of listening as much as sharing, fostering mutual understanding, respect, and authentic connection.

By creating a safe and comfortable space where perspectives are acknowledged and valued, Conversation and Camaraderie nurtures lasting friendships, a strong sense of community, and deeper social connection. Their work highlights how meaningful conversation can strengthen well-being and belonging.

👏 Thank you to Conversation and Camaraderie for championing social connection and creating space for men to connect and thrive.

Learn more about the CT Connection Champions program and nominate an organization fostering social connection at endlonelinessct.org/connection-champions.

05/26/2026

From handing out flyers alone at the SoNo Saturday Market… to working alongside 60+ community members on a citywide task force.

In his latest blog, Community Connector Tony Bacigalupo shares how saying yes to one opportunity changed everything. What started as a solo effort became real momentum - thanks to shared goals, structure, and the accountability of working with others.

💡 Key takeaway: it’s hard to build momentum alone. When you join forces with others who care, your capacity to create change multiplies.

This is what happens when individual effort turns into collective action.

🔗 Read Tony's blog post: https://endlonelinessct.org/f/from-handing-out-flyers-to-a-60-person-task-force

05/24/2026

Here's something we need to talk more about - the power of talking.

Researchers have found that from 2005-2019, our daily speaking decreased by nearly 30%. That dramatic decrease may be contributing to increases in loneliness and cognitive decline.

As Co-Chair of the CT Collaborative to End Loneliness Healthcare Provider workgroup, Fred Schott is always on the hunt for interesting articles on social connection and loneliness. Thanks, Fred!

👉 Read more: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/march/are-we-talking-less-than-we-used-to.html

Are you a CT resident interested in contributing to advancing social health?

🔗 Reach out to Deb at [email protected] to talk about joining the CT Collaborative to End Loneliness Healthcare Provider workgroup today.

New research suggests our daily conversations are shrinking, with people speaking 300 less words each day

05/21/2026

"People with disabilities…may have trouble accessing groups and organizations.”

That insight from Michelle Putnam, Director of the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts, points to something important:

Many adults with developmental disabilities are excluded from the very places where friendships and relationships are typically formed - and that impact compounds over time.

That’s why, in 2025, we published Action Guides to create inclusive connection.

And it's why, starting today, we are pleased to be partnering with a small group of organizations to co-create new programs fostering connection for adults with developmental disabilities.

Thank you to the CT Council on Developmental Disabilities for supporting this important work.

Learn more and download the free Action Guides at www.endlonelinessCT.org/inclusive-connection.

The Arc Connecticut Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut - DS ACT Keep the Promise Coalition Connecticut Family Support Network (CTFSN)