Commit to Connect Updates | | |
Save the Date: Commit to Connect Announces Date for Annual Virtual Summit
Commit to Connect is excited to announce that the annual National Summit to Increase Social Connections will be on the afternoons of June 23 and 24, 2026. The 2026 theme will be Champion Your Health and will focus on social connection as a cornerstone of prevention, wellness, healthy aging, and independence. This virtual event brings together local, state, and national leaders from across sectors to address social isolation. Sessions highlight innovative programs, resources, and leaders to increase the capacity of the aging and disability networks to advance social connections to reduce people’s risk of chronic disease and serious illness and support their whole-person health. The 2025 Virtual Summit had over 2,500 registrants and over 1,000 unique attendees. More details on the virtual summit including how to register will be forthcoming.
| | Last month, Commit to Connect hosted an Office Hours with Julie Burkley, Director of Programs with FriendshipWorks. Julie discussed three FriendshipWorks programs featured on the Social Engagement Innovations Hub. During the Office Hours, Julie shared strategies and models that help support social connection in her community. | | New Findings From the 2025 National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging | | |
The National Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Survey Chartbook is now available! Conducted every three years by USAging in partnership with Scripps Gerontology Center, the report is full of new data and insights into how AAAs are adapting and evolving to meet the needs of older adults in their communities. For example, key findings include:
- 95 percent of AAAs have a program that directly addresses loneliness and social isolation.
- The most offered types of programs are volunteer engagement opportunities, arts and creative activities, friendly visiting and technology engagement activities.
- The most common key partners for social engagement programming are senior/community centers.
| | Funding Opportunity: Learn More on How the MAHA ELEVATE Initiative Can Help Support Your Social Connection Work | | |
MAHA ELEVATE is part of the Trump administration's plan to address chronic disease in America. The model is providing $100 million to fund 3-year agreements for up to 30 proposals that promote health and prevention for Traditional Medicare beneficiaries. The proposals should utilize approaches not currently covered by Medicare that can support the medical care that Medicare beneficiaries receive. The notice of funding opportunity highlights social connection, specifically encouraging programs to consider integrating the role of positive social connections in their interventions.
Applicants should submit a letter of intent by April 10, 2026. The application deadline is May 15, 2026.
| | Meet a Commit to Connect Champion Tackling the Social Isolation of Long-Term Care Recipients | | Commit to Connect is pleased to highlight another member of the Nationwide Network of Champions in our bi-monthly blog post series, Paul Falkowski, President and Founder of the National Association of Long-Term Care Volunteers (NALTCV). This blog highlights how the NALTCV reduces loneliness and social isolation among people living in long-term care communities by building and strengthening companion volunteer programs across the country. Check out the full blog post. | Are you interested in having your organization featured in an upcoming blog post? Register to become part of the Commit to Connect Nationwide Network of Champions! | | Nominations Open for The John A. Hartford Foundation 2026 Business Innovation Award | | Does your organization have a successful health care contract that improved social connection and health outcomes for older adults, people with disabilities or caregivers? Apply now for The John A. Hartford Foundation 2026 Business Innovation Award! Presented by USAging, this award celebrates community-based innovation making a real impact. Nomination deadline: May 13 at 5:00 PM ET. | | Recent Resources and Research | |
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USAging’s Strengthening Social Connection in Communities (SSCC) initiative announced the 11 recipients selected for 2026 grant awards to replicate and sustain evidence-based and evidence-informed social connection programs, partnerships and referral processes in communities. Learn more about the SSCC and this year's grantees.
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The Foundation for Social Connection recently released its first U.S. Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Connection Ecosystem Map and accompanying State of the US Ecosystem Report. Designed to increase visibility, inform research, policy, and funding priorities, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration, the map and report serve as foundational tools for bringing greater coherence and shared understanding to a rapidly growing, multi-sector field.
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This blog post from the American Hospital Association highlights examples of hospitals and health systems that partner with Area Agencies on Aging to address the social needs of older adults and foster social connection. These partnerships have resulted in approaches including social prescribing, shared medical appointments, and virtual reality to train caregivers in empathy.
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The U.S. Administration for Community Living recently announced the theme for the upcoming 2026 Older Americans Month (observed in May). The 2026 theme, Champion Your Health, focuses on prevention, wellness, and personal responsibility as cornerstones of healthy aging. This May, consider how your organization can promote social health for older adults and people with disabilities.
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The Aging and Disability Business Institute launched their Community–Based Organization (CBO)–Health Care Contracting Survey. This survey is open for all aging and disability CBOs and CCHs, regardless of whether they are currently contracting with a health care entity to share their health care contracting experience. Participants' responses for the 2026 survey are vital to raise the visibility of CBO-health care partnerships and understand the work CBOs are doing to address social connection.
| | Upcoming Events and Opportunities | | Funding for this initiative was made possible by contract no. 140D0424D0032 from ACL. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. | | | | |
