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A collective impact alliance to foster social connection across CT
Connecticut Good Neighbor Day
Join us in late September, 2027 to celebrate CT Good Neighbor Day locally within your community - in the manner that works best for you and your fellow community members
Designed as a place-based, local community model, CT Good Neighbor Day gives communities across Connecticut the opportunity to create their own gatherings for connection, belonging, and collective action on (or on the days surrounding) September 28 - National Good Neighbor Day.
See how we launched Good Neighbor Day in CT in 2026
We brought Good Neighbor Day to CT on Thursday, September 24, 2026. Now it's your turn to bring it to your community in 2027.
Good Neighbor Day launched in Waterbury in 2026 with 'Good Neighbors, Great Communities' - a community-building gathering that educated, inspired, and impacted the local community!
The CT Collaborative to End Loneliness, UConn Waterbury, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, United Way of Greater Waterbury, and the Connecticut Community Foundation united to host this event which brought together more than 80 residents, college students, leaders of community-based organizations, and state and municipal leaders for a day of learning, connection, and hands-on service.
The day began with a shared learning experience focused on social connection and community wellbeing and was followed by a community lunch. In the afternoon, participants broke into small groups and headed out into Waterbury to take part in hands-on volunteer projects with local partners.
By combining education, relationship-building activities, and coordinated community action, CT Good Neighbor Day reinforced a simple but powerful idea: connection is a shared responsibility, and building stronger communities starts with showing up for one another.
Program Highlights:
Keynote Address - Kathy Taylor, President & CEO, Connecticut Community Foundation
Building Community Across Generations - Panel discussion led by Deb Bibbins
Panelists:
Laura Donorfio is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut and a nationally recognized expert in intergenerational connection and friendship, with more than 30 years of research, teaching, and program development in the field.
Meg Luddy is a recently retired Operations Event Manager at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, where she oversaw front-of-house operations and developed a youth volunteer program that brought together volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 85.
Hannah Peterson is a UConn graduate student with multiple intergenerational experiences.
Gary Sekorski is a long-time coach and mentor of youth and teens and Co-Founder of For All Ages.
Volunteerism and Civic Engagement - Panel discussion led by Rick Brush
Panelists:
Jaylen Daniels is a community organizer and fair housing advocate who works with the All In Communities, an Ansonia alderman and Vice Chair of the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee, and a volunteer member of the Valley YMCA Board of Managers.
Diane Gaborc is a retired healthcare leader and active volunteer with OLLI, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities, and Cheshire United Methodist Church.
Andrew Ferguson is a social entrepreneur and Co-Founder of The Neighborhood, which is building a statewide peer community of Connecticut's most active volunteers and civic leaders.
Community Spotlight: Community building in action - Mental Health CT's Independence Center
Lunch and Neighboring
Conference Capstone: From Conversation to Community Action - Deb Bibbins, Fiona De Merell
Afternoon community service
Photo Gallery
Community Service Activities
OLLI Garden Maintenance
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Assemble Social Connection Kits for Isolated Older Adults
In collaboration with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a team will travel to the OLLI Community Garden ('Fulton Farm') that provides food for local food banks and soup kitchens. Work will involve fall garden cleanup and related work.
Location: Upper Pine Street, Fulton Park, Waterbury
Assemble Social Connection Kits for Isolated Older Adults
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Assemble Social Connection Kits for Isolated Older Adults
In collaboration with For All Ages. a team will stay on the UConn campus and assemble social connection kits to be distributed to 300 isolated older adults in the Waterbury area.
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Some volunteers will help families sign up for the Salvation Army's annual Angel Tree program (if you speak Spanish, please let us know you are bilingual on the reg. form). Others will begin setting up the gym for this holiday season program (setting up tables, placing signs, taping the floor, etc.).
Location: Salvation Army, 74 Central Ave., Waterbury
Engaging Students for Success
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
Family Sign-up Assistance and Gym Setup for Angel Tree program
In collaboration with the Children's Community School, volunteers will engage with students in meaningful ways, such as reading to them, supporting classroom activities, assisting with art or computer projects, and helping maintain organized, welcoming learning spaces.
Location: Children's Community School, 23 John St., Waterbury
Event Sponsored by
