Welcome to the Coalition Blog

A place for innovators and thought leaders to share their insights on how we can mitigate social isolation & loneliness.

  • Reflections from Our Team

    On October 11-13, 2022, the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC), with support from the Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness (CESIL), hosted its annual End Social Isolation and Loneliness Action Forum. This international three-day event convened individuals to promote real evidence- and system-based change.…

  • It Starts With Hello

    Linda, Gerald, Stacey, Chris, Diane, Ron, Vicki, Lisa, Tim, Scotty, Joy, Ian, Zoe. What do those names have in common? They are Jennifer’s neighbors. Nothing else. They do not share age, ethnicity, opinion, career, education, or even social status. The thing they have in common…

  • Improving Social Health Locally, One Connection at a Time

    Earlier this year, Social Health Labs and the Foundation for Social Connection wrapped up Connect+Conversations, an event series that convened 26 experts and over 2,500 community members from 55 countries to discuss how to reduce and prevent loneliness. Over the course of the series, we…

  • Friendship Bench

    The right to an environment that enables wellbeing and positive mental health is gaining momentum globally in the public health arena. Loneliness has always been a pressing issue for human beings as we are social creatures who thrive in an environment of connectedness and mutual…

  • Friendships Reflect Our Worth

    As Maya Angelou so aptly stated, “A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.” We all start as unfamiliar others before finding ourselves on a unique path to friendship. Each path to friendship is a one of a kind experience, with specific scaffolding forming…

  • Capturing the Truth Behind Causes of Death

    I am a Geriatrician and palliative medicine physician who became interested in the health effects of loneliness over a decade ago when I was a young medical resident.  At that time, I was most interested in understanding what factors led to my patients’ loss of…

  • Post-lockdown Blues: How to Help with Mental Health First Aid

    By Mental Health First Aid Social isolation and loneliness were a growing concern well before the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, in a 2017 report from the Harvard Business Review, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy stated that America was experiencing a loneliness epidemic. This epidemic…

  • Social Isolation and Loneliness: The Impact on Young Adults and Historically Underserved Communities

    By Maggie DeCosse, Policy and Communications Intern at ACTNow for Mental Health The COVID-19 pandemic has been isolating for everyone, with much focus being given to its effects on children and the elderly. ACTNow for Mental Health (ANMH) aims to shine a light on the…

  • Pain in the Nation: Next Step

    By Brandon Reavis, Senior Government Relations Manager at Trust for America’s Health When Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and Well Being Trust began our Pain in the Nation report series examining the alcohol, drug, and suicide crises in the United States in 2017, drug-induced causes…

  • The Power of Social Health to Reverse Loneliness

    By Boaz Gaon, Founder & CEO of Wisdo Health It’s a staggering statistic: 58% of Americans today experience loneliness and isolation. Loneliness is quite literally at epidemic levels. According to a recent report by Cigna, “…examining the different issues affecting the one in five adults…