Franklin Mayor Ken Moore launched a crusade against loneliness during a press conference on Monday, June 15.
About 25 people attended the event outside the Carousel of Dreams at The Factory at Franklin, which coincided with the first day of Loneliness Awareness Week. The new project, called Franklin Connects, is a multi-pronged approach to combat loneliness and social isolation.
The initiative provides a three-question assessment at www.franklinconnects.org to gauge a person’s level of loneliness. It is also launching a community training program for churches, businesses and nonprofits to help combat isolation and get people involved in city life.
Franklin Connects is also partnering with Nashville organization Folx Table and local restaurants to host group meals for people to meet and establish relationships. While guests pay for their own food, the initiative will cover the participation fee for the first 50 people who register at www.franklinconnects.org.
Franklin Connects also plans to host a Community Engagement Fair in the fall to “provide a perfect marketplace” for residents to learn about different clubs and organizations to get involved in, Moore said.
Additionally, Franklin Connects plans to install eight “Happy to Chat” benches around town, which encourage people to sit and talk with each other. Locations include the Carousel of Dreams, the Franklin library and Williamson Health.
“Real change happens through us,” Moore said. “I challenge each of you to do your part. Reach out, say hello and help us continue to build this community of Franklin.”
Franklin Connects is an extension of Find Hope Franklin, an initiative that Moore launched in 2019 alongside mental health and substance use experts to provide information on counseling and other resources to anyone who needs them.
Mike Alday of Alday Public Relations and a member of Find Hope Franklin, called the initiative “forward-thinking,” especially with what came shortly after its creation.
“Of course, COVID hit not too far later and mental health became a big topic,” he said.
Amy Alexander, chief executive officer of The Refuge Center for Counseling and a Franklin Connects partner, called loneliness “the greatest epidemic of our time” and said that 20% of people in the U.S. have no one to have a meaningful conversation with.
“That should be sufficient to get us excited about what we’re launching,” she said.
Jim Petersen, an attorney and husband of Franklin Alderman Ann Petersen, praised Franklin Connects for encouraging “social camaraderie” in the community.
“It’s obviously a worthwhile project,” he said. “It’s one of the things that continue to make Franklin a nice place.”