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Volunteering in the community is an excellent way to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

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Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

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For many people, February is a time to reflect on our relationships and connections. It’s a time to express appreciation to our loved ones and friends and to take joy in those associations.

However, over the past few years, I’ve been concerned to see how many of our friends, neighbors and loved ones feel isolated and lonely. This loneliness trend has increased, leading to concerns about individual health and wellness as well as community cohesion.

Back in 2023, the surgeon general of the United States released an advisory titled, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” which was informed by researchers from Brigham Young University. According to the research referenced in this advisory, “In recent years, about one in two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness.” This is a concerning statistic by any measure.

The advisory goes on to state, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling — it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death … and the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces and civic organizations, where performance, productivity and engagement are diminished.”

It’s clear, then, that the impacts of loneliness can be severe, not just for us as individuals but for our community as a whole. So, what is the solution? What can be done to combat this isolation?

The simple response, according to the surgeon general’s advisory, is to improve social connection, and that is something we can all do — in our own homes, in our own neighborhoods and every day in our community.

At United Way, the idea of creating connections has become something incorporated in everything we do and within the work of all of our programs. It is something that can become a part of everyday life for all of us as we recognize ways to connect and build up others. We invite others, and we invite you, to join us in this effort. As we all work together to strengthen each other and the community, we will see the impact.

There are, of course, many ways to strengthen relationships and social connection. But today I’d like to highlight how volunteering can provide opportunities to build connections and lessen loneliness for both the volunteers and the beneficiaries of their service.

The act of volunteering, almost by definition, requires us to connect. We willingly offer our time and talents to support people and causes that are important to us, and by doing so we open ourselves up to new experiences and relationships. I have been inspired so many times by seeing how volunteers, working together for something greater than themselves, have made personal connections with each other. Shared volunteer experiences have the power to link us together with strangers and new friends in ways few other experiences can.

Of course, volunteering doesn’t just help participants meet other volunteers; it also gives us the opportunity to meet neighbors and community members we may not otherwise interact with. Programs such as Sub for Santa, VITA and United Way Centers allow volunteers and community members to get to know each other on a personal basis. These programs give us the chance to see how life is lived by others who may be different from us as well as to find our common ground together.

As we come together through volunteer programs, we increase the number of social connections we have. We learn to rely on each other in order to make an impact for good. And because we are working for something greater than ourselves, our interactions are positive and satisfying. Volunteering truly can support all components of social connection and fight against the loneliness epidemic that so many of us struggle with.

No matter what our current life situations look like, each of us can do something to reach out to one person every day. This outreach, even though it may not look like traditional volunteering commitments, involves giving of ourselves to strengthen our bonds. As we do what we can, whether by texting a friend, visiting a neighbor or signing up for a longer-term volunteer opportunity, we will be amazed at how much our own connections grow.

So, let’s each commit this month to do just one thing to reach out to someone else. Together, we can combat loneliness and isolation. We can strengthen our individual relationships and build a stronger community. We can do it as we work together.

For more information about volunteer opportunities, visit unitedwayuc.org.