Holiday Loneliness Awareness Day

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, SOAR Together honored Connecticut's first Holiday Loneliness Awareness Day. All this holiday season, we will be shining a light on our national epidemic of loneliness and social isolation and come together to create statewide awareness about the organizations and programmatic efforts serving those in Connecticut most at-risk of heightened loneliness and social isolation during the holiday season (and each day of the year). 

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How else can you get involved? When it comes to ending the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, we know small, daily actions are precisely what creates change. What can you do to make the holidays less lonely for those in your lives as well as those you see throughout any given day? Here are some ideas from the SOAR Team:

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• Call, text, or email someone today who you know is socially-isolated. Check in on them and ask if there is anything they need in the immediate term and/or in the coming weeks

• Think of those in your life who may not have plans for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season – reach out to see if you can help them create a plan that feels good for them (knowing some prefer small gatherings or none at all)

• Plan a day of service over the holiday season and invite others to join you. Often, those who do not want to socialize in formal gatherings prefer to serve others and feel more fulfilled by doing so

• Check in on those in your life who are experiencing “first” holidays and are contending with grief, loss, and confusion. Lend an ear to hear their heart, and offer to help in whatever capacity they need to get through this first difficult season (which may become an annual time of mourning)

• Ask a new neighbor (who may not yet be socially-connected here locally) if they have plans and invite them to participate in community gatherings such as Turkey Trots, serving at shelters the day of Thanksgiving, and suggest fun restaurant spots where locals gather to connect over the holiday season

• Schedule a family/friend virtual gathering at some point over the holiday season to connect with those from afar. Yes, as “Zoomed out” as we may be, seeing faces and connecting to facial expressions and voices sparks more connection and joy than a text, email, or call

• For those you know well enough, make room at your own holiday table. Invite someone you know to join you for a meal/gathering over the season, whether the day-of a holiday or not, and share an empty seat at your table

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We are so grateful to all of our amazing sponsors for making this day possible, including Wendy and Stephen Wooters and Melissa and Brian DuPerre. Thank you for your generosity.

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