This is a story of insight. Sammi E., a student at Riverstone School, joined One Stone’s Project Good, hoping to make a difference in a little known public health problem: social isolation. At the One Event 2020, Sammi shared her moment of insight, explaining how understanding the residents of a housing development for seniors, veterans and adults with disabilities revealed a meaningful way to brighten their lives.
Sammi E. begins her speech at the One Event 2020 by explaining the challenges of her first One Stone project on alleviating loneliness.
Do you know that the percentage of adults who say they experience loneliness has doubled since 1980? And, that social isolation increases the chance of dying in the next seven years by 30%? These statistics are raising public health alarms. The question is, what are we going to do about this trend? What could I – as a teenager – do to stop this epidemic?
I was 15 years old when I started my first One Stone project. I didn’t join because I wanted to do something about the loneliness epidemic, I joined One Stone because I loved hanging out with my friends.
On my first day, I nervously walked in the front doors of One Stone and then turned right around and walked out. My team and I were headed to the Good Samaritan Home, a nonprofit that provides low-income housing for seniors, veterans, and adults with disabilities. They had reached out to One Stone after identifying a lack of community in their space. Our team set out to tackle this – to make their house a home.
We started with an interactive game night to break the ice between us and the residents. I arrived, nerves fluttering in my stomach. We walked in, NO ONE was there. We later learned that the last group of volunteers to visit were psychology students and the residents didn’t want to be studied again.
Eventually, the director, Peg, was able to convince a few people to come out of their rooms. They were curious but suspicious. It was VERY awkward. One of my team members took the lead, by stepping forward with a big smile on his face and said, “Alright guys! We’re gonna play a game of Family Feud!” The room began to fill with chatter and competitive banter.
Sammi E. and Sonny during the planning phases for A Lot of Hope, a project to create an outdoor gathering place for Good Samaritan Home residents.
I was new to One Stone, and I was new to the Good Samaritan Home. But that night, I belonged to both communities. I met Sonny, a soft-spoken, kind-hearted personality of the Good Samaritan Home and Alanna, a real go-getter and advocate for her fellow residents.
When our team reflected on the game night, we realized there wasn’t space in the building for people to come together. It was isolating – residents felt most comfortable alone in their rooms. Working with the home’s director, we got creative. We realized we could create space outside, and the project A Lot of Hope was launched. The gravel lot near the back patio could become a place that brought people together. We could haul away the trash, clear the weeds, and create a space with benches, flower boxes, and a freshly painted patio.
Fifty One Stone team members joined with Good Samaritan Home residents and Rotary volunteers to transform the lot into a gathering sanctuary in just one day. This wasn’t easy. When we started, it was pouring rain and we wore trash bags as rain gear. The work required muscle. It wasn’t until the end that I noticed the transformation and the impact we had made.
I looked up to see Alanna peeking out the back door. She had a shocked, and excited look on her face. She ran out to meet us with a huge smile. She kept saying “It looks SO GOOD! I can’t believe it!” I was thinking the same thing. It was crazy to see how much change we could make when we all came together.
I still smile as I drive by the Good Samaritan Home and see the residents visiting on the benches. Through the process of creating this space, I learned that the antidote to loneliness is building a community. Somewhere, with or without walls, for people of all backgrounds, to come together. It didn’t matter that we were teenagers and they were residents. This was my moment of insight. A moment of insight into the importance of community.
Community is a group hug on a bad day. It’s where you’re not afraid to be your real self. It can be as simple as sharing a meal, sharing a ride, or sharing your story. It’s as simple as a One Stone intro: Hi, my name is Sammi. I’ve been a part of One Stone for three years. My answer to the question: What am I, as a teenager, doing to stop the epidemic of loneliness? I’m building community.
We are grateful to Sammi for sharing her moment of insight with us, and thankful for her work to improve the day-to-day quality of life for Good Samaritan Home residents.
