Uniting for Connection: Advocates and Innovators Convene to Transform Communities

Leading organizations on social connection host Atlanta conference to address disconnection impacting communities, organizations, and individuals nationwide.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC) and Healthy Places by Design (HPbD) bring together researchers, social innovators, and leaders across corporate, nonprofit, government, faith, and civic sectors to advance the conversation around social connection and identify solutions to create greater connection for individuals and communities that enable them to thrive.

“We know the power of connection in building strong and flourishing communities,” said Jillian Racoosin Kornmeier, MPH, Executive Director of the Foundation for Social Connection. “The Social Connection Conference is more than a convening - it’s a call to action. Together, we are building the relationships and strategies needed to transform how we connect and care for one another at every level of society.”

Taking place October 28-30 in Atlanta, Georgia, attendees will engage in inspiring keynote addresses, dynamic panel sessions, interactive workshops, and immersive community experiences throughout Atlanta, all designed to spark new partnerships and equip leaders with tools to drive systemic change.

“Social connection is a powerful thing,” said Risa Wilkerson, Executive Director Health Places by Design. “Meaningful connection can improve health, strengthen communities, spark the economy, and build trust and belonging. Something our workplaces, communities, country, and world desperately need.”

The conference will also celebrate the Foundation’s national leadership in advancing social connection with the announcement of a commitment to expand its initiatives, programs, and partnerships to 27 communities by 2027. This multi-year initiative is propelled by several cornerstone projects unveiled at the conference, including:

- Expanding Technical Assistance for Legacy Communities: F4SC and HPbD will re-engage communities from the original Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities cohort, supporting diverse coalitions of public officials, nonprofits, and business leaders as they implement action plans developed under their first phase of work and measure collective impact.

- Launching New Partnerships across California and New York: Building on lessons from the legacy cohort, F4SC and HPbD will expand their technical assistance into new communities in California and New York, partnering with local leaders to co-create action plans tailored to their unique community needs.

- Driving Local Investment in Social Infrastructure: F4SC will launch The Roadmap: Reimagining Infrastructure to Improve Social Capital - a unique resource designed to strengthen social connection, trust, and economic mobility through strategic investments in third places. Developed in collaboration with six communities nationwide, the roadmap provides actionable guidance for local governments to partner with residents and organizations, drive meaningful infrastructure investment, and measure the impact of interventions that cultivate stronger, more connected communities.

The full conference agenda and plenary livestream can be found on the Foundation’s website. Recorded sessions will also be made available after the conference concludes.

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About the Foundation for Social Connection
The Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC) was founded in 2020 with the vision of a vibrant society where social connection is at the heart of how we live. As the leading U.S. organization addressing the crisis of disconnection, F4SC advances social connection nationwide rooted in evidence and informed by lived experience for our collective well-being. We work to bridge science and practice, bringing research to life through collaboration, education, and real-world application. By convening leaders across sectors, building partnerships that strengthen the field, and shaping systems and environments that foster belonging, F4SC helps embed social connection as a priority in communities and institutions across the country to create the conditions where every person has the opportunity to feel seen, supported, and valued.

About Healthy Places by Design
Healthy Places by Design advances community-led action and proven, place-based strategies to ensure health and wellbeing for all. We are strategic partners for communities and those who invest in them, helping turn visions of health equity into lasting impact. At local, state, and national scales, we connect community leaders with inspiring success stories, lessons learned, and each other to deepen their capacity as changemakers. Drawing on our experience supporting hundreds of community partnerships, we strengthen assets and enhance efforts to grow an enduring culture of health and wellbeing.

Shannon Vyvijal
Foundation for Social Connection
shannon@social-connection.org
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