Coyle, Harris & Racoosin: Building strong communities starts in Boston

If you visit the Boston metro area, you’ll notice benches strategically placed around town with a simple message: “Sit here if you don’t mind chatting with someone new.” These “Happy to Chat” benches are part of a community-based initiative to encourage residents to get to know their neighbors and socially connect. It is a common occurrence to see individuals pause from their morning stroll to sit on one of the benches and strike up a conversation with another resident. The “Happy to Chat” benches are just one of a myriad of actions that local leaders and organizations are taking to proactively address rising levels of social isolation and loneliness in their communities. Coordinated initiatives at the local level like this can derive large rewards.

It is no secret that we are facing a crisis of connection in the United States. In May, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory shedding light on the profound consequences of social isolation and loneliness on health and well-being, linking them to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, anxiety, depression, and a 26% increased risk of death. As stated in the advisory, more than half of adult Americans report feelings of loneliness. Over the past two decades, there has been a decrease in the amount of time we spend with friends, the marriage rate has dwindled, religious affiliation has dropped, and there has been a consistent erosion of civic participation. We now stand at a crossroads in combatting this growing epidemic of loneliness and social isolation and can no longer ignore its far-reaching impact on nearly every area of our society.

The key to a healthier, happier nation lies in strengthening social connection within our local communities. “Connected” communities have members who are 2.6 times more likely to report being in excellent health, live in cities with violent crime rates that are 20% less than average rates, and work in strong local economies where jobs are better protected against economic downturns. The question then turns to: how do we build these connected communities?

First, it is clear that social disconnection is not solely an individual issue, but a complex problem deeply rooted in systemic injustices and influenced by the daily systems that shape our lives. Social factors like access to food and transportation as well as built environments and neighborhoods, influence the available opportunities for social connection. To truly promote health and well-being, we must recognize social disconnection as a systemic issue that requires collective action.

This week, we are in Boston to connect and activate state and local leaders from across the country at the “Building Connected Communities” event. This action forum paves the way for local communities to utilize practical strategies to increase social connection. They possess a deep understanding of their community’s unique needs and can address drivers of disconnection in ways that resonate with residents. They are the key to building resilient, lively communities by combining their efforts with other influential stakeholders.

In Massachusetts and Greater Boston, efforts are already underway to mobilize local organizations to strengthen social connection. In Suffolk County, where roughly 36% of individuals live alone (exceeding the national benchmark of 28.1%), investments are being made in outdoor public spaces to encourage residents to actively participate in community life. The Activating Boston pilot project is one example of this type of investment that aims to empower sustained health and well-being by supporting community-led stewardship of green spaces where residents can enjoy the mental and social benefits of nature.

Local leaders also play a dedicated role in educating their communities through public campaigns about the harmful effects of social isolation and loneliness. Community-led initiatives like CONNECT, a television series on local channels across Massachusetts, strive to destigmatize isolation and loneliness by addressing topics related to social connection and healthy aging. The public conversation and dialogue generated through these awareness campaigns can spur action from city officials and other policymakers to implement sustained policy changes.

By collaborating with our public sectors and engaging with our colleagues, friends, and neighbors, we can magnify their efforts and create systemic change. The Foundation for Social Connection’s Action Guide for Building Connected Communities exemplifies our approach. It offers a framework for implementing local strategies that address drivers of disconnection with numerous case studies collected from communities invested in being active participants of change.

This week as we gather, we ask everyone, especially local influencers and leaders, to reflect on how their community can mobilize to foster connection. The “Happy to Chat” benches show how locally led solutions, with genuine community input, are the foundation of resilient communities capable of facing future challenges head-on. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected nation—one bench, conversation, and community at a time.

Caitlin E. Coyle, Ph.D., is the director of the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging. She also serves as the Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Task Force to End Loneliness and Build Community.

Sandra Harris is the State President of AARP Massachusetts and the Founder and Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Taskforce to End Loneliness and Build Community.

Jillian Racoosin, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Social Connection and the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness.