Lets Connect Initiative
Benches in Middlesex Dedicated to Encouraging Social Connection, Addressing Loneliness
The issue of loneliness is an issue that spans across generations and has brought on global attention as professionals from health care to government leaders and even professional sports seek a way to bring people together in the age of smart phones and virtual meetings. District Attorney Marian Ryan's commitment to this issue began in 2019 with an inaugural meeting on the public health crisis of loneliness. The meeting was held in partnership with Newton Wellesley Hospital, and brought together a panel of experts to identify the issue and explore the root causes. In the wake of the global pandemic, it became even clearer that many of the causes of loneliness had been magnified and were impacting our young people in a way that parents and educators felt unprepared to address. The launch of this new initiative builds on international best practices while being rooted in the mission of the Middlesex District Attorney's Office to improve public safety through innovative prevention. The benches are modeled after an initiative by Manchester United Football Club, who installed several of these "Happy to Chat" benches in the United Kingdom in a bid to tackle loneliness. The idea of these benches has now found global reach, now including Middlesex County. On November 1, 2023, the first "Happy to Chat" bench in Middlesex was placed at Moody Elementary School in Lowell, and in the coming months benches will also be placed in the communities of Framingham, Medford and Everett.
- Read the Lowell Sun article here.
- Watch the ceremony here.
- View photos from the ceremony here.
- Read the press release here.
No One Eats Alone
National No One Eats Alone Day is observed in February each year. The movement was started by an organization called Beyond Differences, and aims to combat the loneliness that students may experience during the school day, particularly at lunch. The mission of National No One Eats Alone Day is to encourage students to include everyone at lunch so that not even one student is left alone to eat.
Beyond Differences was founded by two parents in memory of their daughter, who faced social isolation in middle school. Their goal is to inspire students nationwide to end social isolation and create cultures of belonging for everyone. They hope to build a future where all youth are accepted, valued and included, all all differences are celebrated.