October Fostering Connections
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend YMCA General Assembly, a gathering that takes place only once every few years and brings together more than 3,000 YMCA leaders and staff from across the country.
While communities may look different from state to state, I was struck by how similar our aspirations are. Across the nation, Ys are working toward three outcomes that sound remarkably familiar:
- Everyone is healthier.
- Every child and teen is resilient.
- No one feels alone.
One of the keynote speakers was Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a globally recognized researcher and expert on social connection. She shared a statistic that stopped me in my tracks: Americans spend 25% less time socializing than they did 20 years ago. Today, the average person spends just 35 minutes a day engaging socially with others.
Think about that for a moment. Just 35 minutes a day.
Thankfully, I can assure you that if you've spent time at one of our YMCAs recently, you've likely exceeded that average before you've even finished your workout or morning coffee. Whether it's a conversation before a group exercise class, a friendly exchange at the welcome center or catching up with friends after a swim, our Ys are filled with people connecting with one another every day.
In fact, I suspect many of our members and program participants are helping pull that national average upward.
As I listened to Dr. Holt-Lunstad speak, I couldn't help but think that the YMCA of the Triangle is filled with experts on social connection.
Every day, our staff and volunteers do the work of helping people feel welcome, supported and part of something bigger than themselves. They create the kinds of relationships that strengthen individuals, families and communities.
If there was a master class on helping people feel they belong, our team could teach it. And in a time when loneliness and disconnection are growing challenges across the country, that work has never been more important.
The statistics tell us that social isolation is a real challenge facing our nation. They remind us that our work is about much more than fitness, sports or programs. Every day, through relationships, conversations and acts of care, we help people build connections that strengthen both individual lives and entire communities.
Our 2030 Strategic Plan includes a simple but ambitious goal: No One Feels Alone. That goal isn't achieved through a strategic plan or a slogan. It's achieved one relationship at a time, every day, in every branch, program and interaction across our YMCA.
For that, I'm grateful. We have an extraordinary team of relationship builders across the YMCA of the Triangle. In a world where genuine connection can feel increasingly rare, they are doing some of the most important work there is: ensuring that more people feel seen, supported and connected to a community for a lifetime.
