Mount Laurel, NJ – On Friday, June 13, Samaritan proudly hosted a celebratory picnic to recognize the successful launch and culmination of their new Intergenerational Pilot Program, part of the organization’s Social Connections initiative, which is designed to connect local youth and seniors to foster valuable relationships and shared respect for one another in a new way.

“Samaritan’s Intergenerational Pilot Program aims to foster meaningful connections between youth and older adults, creating a bi-directional impact and encouraging stronger social connections,” explained Samaritan President and CEO Phillip W. Heath. “Developing and launching this program speaks to our organization’s overall mission and vision – we are fostering deeper intergenerational relationships to help combat loneliness and isolation, while at the same time working to eliminate any preexisting biases in order to build bridges and strengthen bonds.”

“The Intergenerational Pilot Program is intentionally designed to help decrease social isolation and loneliness among individuals of different generations,” added Erika Thomas, MPA, the Director of Social Connections at Samaritan. “Both generations of individuals have the invaluable opportunity to share their own experiences and wisdom with one another – all the while cultivating a deeper understanding and mutual respect through their shared experience in the program.”

As one of the first organizations in the country to launch programs designed to address and reduce social isolation and loneliness, Samaritan convened the Social Isolation, Loneliness and Connection Collaborative (SILCC), a coalition of major health systems and 40+ nonprofits, which addresses the physical and mental toll of social isolation. The Intergenerational Pilot Program is the direct result of SILCC’s strategic vision and planning.

“This program has served to build relationships and foster positive interactions between older adults and school age children that helps to dismantle the stereotypes and the misconceptions that generations may have about each other,” said Marilyn Mock, MSW, Department Head, Social Services at Fair Share Housing Development.

For the initial run of the Intergenerational Pilot Program, students from Bobby’s Run School in Lumberton were partnered with residents from The Roosevelt senior living community in Mount Laurel from April through June 2025. Throughout the duration of the pilot program, the students and residents conducted bi-weekly virtual visits with one another, which included a variety of fun, yet intentional bonding activities:

“Two Truths and A Lie” Icebreaker

Show and Tell – students and senior residents showcased items and shared stories about why they selected that particular item.

TikTok Dance Activity – students shared their favorite trend dances with residents and inviting them to participate/get involved in the social media trend with them.

Student Lesson – students taught a lesson to the residents of something they learned over the course of the past year.

The pilot program then culminated with the celebratory picnic, where residents from The Roosevelt and Bobby’s Run students gathered together to meet each other in person.

"It's been a joy to witness the friendships and learning that have blossomed through this intergenerational program. It's a reminder of how much we can gain when we connect across generations," explained Barbara Rosenberg, 5^th Grade Teacher at Bobby’s Run Elementary School.

“This has been an uplifting shared experience. My residents have left every meeting with a smile and new spark of energy that has been a direct result of the positive energy shown by the students!” added Emily Kotarski, MSW, Social Services Coordinator at The Roosevelt.

Samaritan hopes to expand the Intergenerational Pilot Program in the coming year – partnering with even more schools and senior living communities in order to foster deeper, lasting relationships among participants.

For more information about Samaritan’s Intergenerational Pilot Program, their Social Connections initiative, or SILCC, contact Erika Thomas at (856) 552-3235 or ethomas@samaritannj.org.

PHOTOS ATTACHED – more photos available upon request.

Captions:

Samaritan Intergenerational 1.jpg – On June 13th, students from Bobby’s Run School in Lumberton met with residents from The Roosevelt senior living community in Mount Laurel for the first time as part of Samaritan’s new Intergenerational Pilot Program, part of the organization’s Social Connections initiative, which is designed to connect local youth and seniors to foster valuable relationships and shared respect for one another in a new way.

Samaritan Intergenerational 2.jpg – Students from Bobby’s Run School in Lumberton and residents from The Roosevelt senior living community in Mount Laurel worked together to complete a craft as part of Samaritan’s new Intergenerational Pilot Program – designed to connect local youth and seniors to foster valuable relationships and shared respect for one another in a new way. On June 13^th, the students and residents gathered for their last session together as part of the pilot program, where they had the opportunity to meet in person for the first time and share some valuable time, insights and experiences together.