When Bopha arrived at South Park Senior Center for the first time, she wasn't sure what to expect. Living alone and struggling to prepare meals for herself, she had grown accustomed to quiet evenings. But the moment she stepped through the door, something shifted. A volunteer greeted her warmly and she found a seat at a roundtable surrounded by other seniors and, for the first time in a long while, she felt like she belonged.

Then came the meal. A volunteer provided a plate of Cambodian Lok Lak, a recipe straight from her childhood. By the time the night was over, Bopha felt full in every sense of the word.

"Visiting and making new friends, plus the excellent food, enriched my life more than I can say — I didn't realize how lonely I was," she shares.

Bopha's story is one of thousands. That's why we partnered with the American Society on Aging, a national leader in tackling the systemic issues that shape how we age, to shine a light on the grantees driving real change. In this four-part series, meet some organizations redefining what it means to age well.

Meet the grantees

South Park Senior Center — Seattle, Washington
In south Seattle, an estimated 5,372 seniors are living in poverty, facing food insecurity, medical debt, language barriers, and isolation. South Park Senior Center — where Bopha found her community — is meeting these challenges head-on with culturally relevant meals, social services in residents' native languages and programming designed to encourage fitness and connection.  

Thadd's Place — Rural Oregon
Grief is universal, but it doesn't have to be lonely. For many older adults in rural Oregon, loss is compounded by isolation and limited access to behavioral health resources. Thadd's Place is changing that through intergenerational grief support that reduces isolation and breaks down stigma — not just for older adults, but for entire communities of all ages.

Idaho Caregivers Alliance — Idaho
More than 10,000 grandparents in Idaho are raising their grandchildren because parents are unable to do so. These kinship families often face unique stress as caregivers navigate parenting, aging and complex legal systems — frequently without adequate support. Idaho Caregivers Alliance is expanding resources and strengthening the safety net for these families, ensuring no caregiver faces the journey alone.

Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake — Salt Lake City, Utah
Approximately 60,000 Native Americans live in Utah, most in urban counties where daily life can feel disconnected from cultural roots — making isolation and loneliness common challenges. Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake offers programs designed specifically for elders, meeting them where they are physically, emotionally and culturally. By honoring their wisdom, the organization is improving mental health and strengthening the bonds that hold Native communities together.

We’re deeply committed to creating communities that support people of all ages. Over the past four years, we’ve invested more than $2 million in Healthy and Connected Aging initiatives focused on reducing isolation and loneliness by strengthening social connectivity, care coordination and behavioral health access within whole-person health models.