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America’s epidemic of loneliness and social isolation continues to degrade our health and threaten our capacity to thrive as individuals and as a society.
A recent study from Social Connection in America showed ongoing and troubling trends across key indicators of social connection. The findings are in line with a 2023 public health advisory from then U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on the epidemic.
Loneliness and social isolation increase our risk for disease, mental health challenges and premature death. They also erode social trust and civic engagement.
The solution, however, is one the Y knows how to deliver: social connection and community.
The Y always has risen to meet the needs of our communities. We started 175 years ago at the first U.S. YMCA in Boston, and we’ve continued decade after decade, with each generation bringing new ideas and innovations to solve challenges and create opportunities.
Last month, YMCA staff and volunteers from across the country gathered for our General Assembly of YMCAs. With the support of YMCA friends like Jennifer Wallace, Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad and Disagree Better, we launched our next great commitment to our country: to help end this epidemic of loneliness and social isolation through intentional human connection and community building.
YMCA leaders returned to their communities with research-backed strategies and tools for countering the epidemic by doing what the Y knows and does best—fostering connection and creating community. Today, in 10,000 communities, the Y is a trusted third space where individuals of every age, background, and experience feel that they belong.
Connections at the Y don’t happen by accident. They grow from programs, places, and experiences intentionally designed to help people build relationships, feel a sense of belonging, and contribute to something larger than themselves. Group exercise classes evolve into friendships, afterschool programs instill social skills, and senior gatherings turn neighbors into support networks.
In December, the Y will celebrate our 175th anniversary in the U.S. There is no better time for us to root ourselves in our history, center this epidemic in our sights, and dig into what will become the Y’s next great contribution to our country.
In the coming months, I’ll share more about our commitment to create stronger, more connected communities. You can expect more about the research guiding our strategy, our framework for intentionally fostering connection, and inspiring stories of our work in action.
I hope you’ll follow along and contribute to the conversation. We know the Y can play a central role in ending this epidemic of loneliness and isolation, but we also know that partnering with like-minded people and organizations can accelerate our progress and deepen our impact.
