The Loneliness Epidemic in Orange County, and How Culinary Gathering Helps

While loneliness often feels private, it’s a community issue. Nationally, one in three adults report feeling lonely, and the Surgeon General has called isolation a public health epidemic.

In Orange County, aging, mobility barriers, and social fragmentation put many older adults at risk of deep isolation. In a county known for community, many still eat meals alone day after day.

Savoring Connections offers a different path. We turn private events into public connection — your celebration fuels gathering at senior centers, shelters, and neighborhood venues. Those in need get the benefit of hospitality, dignity, and warmth.

• 20% of U.S. adults report daily loneliness.

• About 1 in 3 report ever feeling lonely.

Our approach builds on commensality — the cultural practice of eating together — recognized as a foundation of human connection in many societies.

In Orange County, we see opportunity: private hosts seeking meaning, residents longing for light, and a nonprofit that can connect both sides through food, drink, and intentional hospitality.

References:

HHS.gov

Gallup.com

CDC

PMC