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WHO WE ARE

We are creating a more socially connected future with the help of our Scientific Leadership Council, key partners, and hardworking team.

Learn more about who we are and what connects us to our work below.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance social connection nation-wide rooted in evidence for our collective well-being.

Our Vision

Our vision is a vibrant society where social connection is at the heart of how we live.

Our Strategic Partnerships

Our networking power has created and fostered long-term partnerships, allowing us to support and coordinate efforts within the ecosystem to advance social connection.

Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness

As the affiliate 501(c)4 organization to the Foundation, the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness (CESIL) develops and advocates for federal policy solutions to address the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness. Our Scientific Leadership Council also contributes to the Coalition’s advocacy goals by providing scientific recommendations on key initiatives and policy priorities.

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Healthy Places by Design

Through our strategic partnership with Healthy Places by Design, the Foundation is bridging our community and national efforts to catalyze movements across the country. Together, we equip local leaders with the resources to build more socially connected communities and challenge systems to prioritize health and well-being for all.

Read More and Join Their Local Leaders Network
Global Initiative on Loneliness & Connection

The Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC) was formed in the Summer of 2020 amid the global COVID-19 crisis. It is comprised of 14 national organizations committed to ending the pressing global issues of loneliness and social isolation. Together, we support the dissemination of system-wide, national approaches to build social connection.

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Office of the Surgeon General

In 2023, the Surgeon General officially declared loneliness a public health epidemic, citing 58% of Americans experience loneliness. The Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection calls attention to the critical role connection plays in individual, community, and societal health and offers a framework for how we can all contribute to improving social connection. We are proud that Scientific Leadership Council (SLC) Chair, Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, served as Lead Scientific Editor of the Advisory. Additionally, our SLC members and staff contributed as Advisory reviewers.

Read the Advisory
Commit to Connect

We serve as advisors to Commit to Connect, a cross-sector initiative, sponsored by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The aim of the collaboration is to connect older adults and individuals with disabilities living with isolation with programs and resources to build the social connections they need to thrive. Our Scientific Leadership Council provided a framework to assess programs and technological solutions. The Nationwide Network of Champions serves as local awareness, action, and advocacy champions across the nation.

Visit the Network of Champions Hub

Speaking and Media Requests

We regularly join others’ efforts to raise awareness of our social isolation and loneliness epidemic and the importance of social connection. If you would like someone from our team to speak at your engagement, contribute to thought leadership pieces, or provide expert background and quotes, please reach out to us below!

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