The American Psychological Association (APA) conducted an online survey poll of more than 3,000 adults ages 18 and older. The survey “Stress in America 2025” indicates a greater number of people reporting loneliness and isolation than originally thought. The survey reveals that over 50% of people feel lonely, “left out” and generally lacking in meaningful companionship.
Community
Community and connectedness are important factors in someone thriving instead of just surviving, said Amy Blansit CEO and founder of the Drew Lewis Foundation. She said the original goal of DLF has evolved over time. Blansit founded it to address medical insurance and financial disparities after her husband died of colon cancer. Since its inception, the mission has grown and is always expanding to find and fill the gaps left by other services and resources in the community.
“It wasn't like I had this specific plan of, ‘I'm going to serve people in Springfield who look like this,’ ” she said. “And so, it really was organic by listening to what he was going through and listening to what our population needed here in Springfield and finding solutions to that.”
Blansit talked about the “beautiful evolution” of the coming together of multiple agencies like the Doula Foundation, the American Indian Center and many other partnerships within the welcoming environment of the Fairbanks building. The Fairbanks was formerly an elementary school building that had been an unused resource for many years before it got a new purpose.
“I think of when we first opened our doors, it was we call it looky loos. It was here's this crazy girl who has, I mean, I think everyone thought I had money, but I had no money,” said Blansit. “But I had a mission (of) scraping walls and talking about how Springfield should be doing all these other things differently.”
As the Foundation and its many partners have grown and expanded, Blansit said this has become a place where “doers find a home as well as people in need” describing it as a kind of sandbox where people come together to create, solve, build and find a way to pull each other forward. She talked about it being a hand up, not a handout, through community and connection.
The Fairbanks is described as a place where anyone can go to feel seen, heard and comfortable. When people do not feel seen or accepted, that can lead to isolation and loneliness as a form of self-protection.
Blansit said social networks are important daily, but particularly in a crisis. She said many of their participants report a social network of only one or two people before they become involved in the opportunities offered at the Fairbanks. She said that lack of social support or a minimal social network can lead to chronic disease, isolation and depression. She said their programs help participants “cast a wide net” to build social support.
Community dinners
Blansit said that when they first started the various free programs and services, they struggled with low attendance. By talking to the community, they learned of many barriers families can face even when something is “free.”
“And so, we looked at, okay, what barriers can we reduce? Let's make sure that food is there. No one's having to worry about it,” she said. “Let's make sure that childcare is provided. So now maybe your expenses time and the transportation to get there. So, we started doing more potluck style”
Weekly meals are served in what used to be the multipurpose cafeteria in the former school. They are café style and run by volunteers who prepare and serve the meals. Blansit said these dinners create a kind of “third place” for people to be and connect when participation in other social groups may not be otherwise occurring.
“And so, creating a third place where this building allows individuals to come Thursday night is beautiful chaos,” she said. “We challenge individuals to step outside of their comfort zone.”
Occasionally they have pizza or hot dog nights, which are especially enjoyed by the kids, she said. All who attend take home a box of produce from the Springfield Community Gardens.
“It's just, it's culturally the thing you do when you're going to get together and create value together, you break bread, you have dinner together,” she said. “So, it was actually, from the very beginning, something that we committed to and something we've been able to do every week since.
A welcoming environment
The moment you arrive at one of the dinners, you are immediately greeted by staff or a volunteer. Staff and volunteers mingle with everyone throughout the evening, and people are made to feel at ease, whether they come alone or with others.
One of the volunteers has also been an intern for less than a month with the Drew Lewis Foundation. Phoebe Riddle immediately felt a sense of belonging.
“Well, like, just, I mean, since I've only been here for three weeks, like, I can already sense, like how community oriented this place is,” she said. “And it's just it's been very welcoming.”
Riddle is a psychology major at Drury University and said the experience at the Fairbanks has been a great introduction into the nonprofit world. She is still deciding what to do when she graduates. Riddle said she began volunteering because she liked the environment there and the idea of building relationships.
She said she’s trying out different roles during her internship, but she especially works with one particular program.
“I've kind of started working with the RISE program a little bit,” she said, “kind of just dipping my toes into all the different organizations here.
RISE
Alex Light serves in a dual role as personal development coach and expansion coordinator with the Drew Lewis Foundation. She works with folks enrolled in RISE.
"RISE stands for reaching independence through support and education. And it's — I call it an upward mobility program for individuals and families who are interested in self-sufficiency."
Light said RISE began around 2019 using individual coaching and weekly classes to help people develop and increase resiliency and self-sufficiency. She said that over the years, the concept has expanded to eight other locations around Missouri, and she’s enjoyed being part of that. She said one of the core concepts of the RISE classes centers on connectedness.
“I meet with them one on one. So, in classes, that's where a lot of that community piece comes in,” she said. “It's taught cohort style, so everybody, you know, when they come to class and it starts with about 17 weeks, so about four months, so they really get to know one another, start to build connections not only with, of course, like the facilitators and our volunteers, but also each other.”
Light said a favorite part of her job is observing the bonds, connections and collaboration that is born out of time together in the classes and programs.
“And then by the end of 17 weeks, we have each other. They have each other's phone numbers. They are supporting one another,” she said. "Maybe their kids are having play dates, and parents are talking together, and they have really built those bonds and connections.”
Light shared a story of a single mom she works with who was experiencing many barriers and initially felt they were insurmountable.
“Essentially over the period of like six months, it went from ‘I, I can't do that. I can't envision myself doing anything because of all of these very real and difficult barriers.’ It went from that to, ‘yes, I am experiencing these things, but here's what I can do to make a better life for myself and my kids,’ ” she said.
Blansit said their overall focus for 2026 is the message of hope and that action is needed behind a dream.
She said it’s important to reach out, check on others, listen and simply be there for those who might be experiencing loneliness and isolation.
Support for Making a Difference is provided by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
