Communities Across the Commonwealth Come Together
BOSTON, Sept. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- People in villages, towns and cities across the Bay State will gather tomorrow, September 28, for a diverse set of community events, part of the inaugural state-wide Massachusetts Good Neighbor Day of Action, sponsored by the Massachusetts Coalition to Build Community and End Loneliness and its nearly 130 member organizations.
People and places across Massachusetts are responding in a whole host of creative and engaging ways:
A “Find Your People” fair in Framingham is bringing together more than 35 local organizations to engage people in volunteer, social and recreational activities.
Students in a new special topics course on Loneliness and Connection at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services are recruiting peers in Boston from all of the Colleges of the Fenway (i.e., Emmanuel College, MA College of Arts and Design, Simmons University and Wentworth Institute of Technology) for an event that featured booths for anonymous kindness notes, mini-games, and intercollegiate discussion.
The Mass Ave Coalition is hosting a Community Fest at Chester Park in the South End neighborhood of Boston featuring live music, activities, and games for all ages, along with prizes from local businesses.
A scavenger hunt and photo rally event in downtown Northampton will take teams of local residents around the city to interact with others, celebrate Northampton and its local heroes, and have fun together taking pictures of their finds.
Libraries in Acton, Boyden, Fair Haven, Yarmouth, and Shutesbury are all organizing events, pointing to the potential for these “third places” to serve as vehicles for connecting local residents.
Earlier this week, more than 100 high school students, civic, business, and political leaders came together for an intergenerational dinner and event at the Asa Waters Mansion in Milbury.
“As we know, Massachusetts is a Commonwealth, and so much of what makes our state stronger and healthier is what we share in common,” said Coalition founder and co-Leader Sandra Harris, who also serves as volunteer President of AARP in the state. “Our Good Neighbor Day of Action has inspired people and communities to make those connections real. Our hope is that these modest but profound acts can be sustained in the weeks ahead, so that we continue to engage with our neighbors and communities throughout the state every day of the year.”
The office of Governor Maura Healey officially proclaimed September 28, 2024, “Good Neighbor Day” across the Commonwealth. “We're so lucky to live in a state full of history, culture, and community. But sometimes we need to remember to slow down a little bit and connect with the people around us,” said Governor Healey in a video about Good Neighbor Day. “I hope everyone takes this opportunity to open up our communities, host a block party or a potluck, and show old friends and new neighbors that Massachusetts is a place where everyone is welcome.”
Later this afternoon at the Governor’s Ceremonial Room in the State House (Room 360), Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts Kim Driscoll will welcome the leadership of the Coalition and officially kick off this weekend’s celebration of community building and inclusion.
Several elected officials including US Representatives Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss, State Senate President Karen Spilka and State Senator Mike Moore have also recorded short videos in support of Good Neighbor Day and the critical importance of building social connection and health.
A day for community connections
Good Neighbor Day, which is observed nationally in communities around the country, comes at a time when people are more divided and isolated than ever. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory report calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country.
Recognizing that these factors pose serious health risks for both physical, social, and mental well-being, the Coalition created MA Good Neighbor Day of Action as an opportunity for communities to come together and re-stitch the social fabric frayed by the pandemic, polarization, technology, and other factors. Its hope is that the events planned this year will build momentum for communities around the Commonwealth to continue to find new ways to build their social health in the weeks and months ahead.
About the Coalition
First convened in 2019, the Massachusetts Coalition to Build Community and End Loneliness now consists of almost 200 members representing nearly 130 statewide organizations committed to addressing the loneliness epidemic in the state. The Coalition’s mission is to ensure all residents of the Commonwealth feel connected to their community and enjoy a powerful sense of social health.
The Coalition recognizes that a crucial step in alleviating loneliness is strengthening community. That means going beyond just bringing people together. Through Good Neighbor Day of Action, the Coalition is encouraging local organizations, businesses, and groups to support connections that span across different interests, backgrounds, and generations.
For a complete description of the Coalition and its accomplishments, please see our website: endlonelinessma.com
You can also follow the Coalition on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
For more information about Massachusetts Good Neighbor Day of Action or the Coalition, please contact Innessa Manning at manninin@bc.edu.