Newsroom

Newsroom Newsroom

What is LBFE Boston up to in the community? What’s going on in the world of aging, intergenerational practice, and social issues such as social isolation, digital equity, and ageism? It’s all here..

Global Intergenerational Week is 4/24-4/30/24 and LBFE Boston is a proud participant and supporter! This is an annual campaign celebrating all things intergenerational! Together, we can inspire others to fully embrace intergenerational practice, connecting people of different generations in intentional, mutually beneficial activities!

Join us for a Multi-Generational Mix and Mingle at Fenway Community Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024, from 4:00-5:30 pm.  1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215 (entrance on Jersey St). Light refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend.  Paid parking is nearby.  For more information or to RSVP, contact Jean at 617-524-8882 or jdemayo.bos@littlebrothers.org

LBFE Boston is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cynthia Wilkerson as LBFE’s new Executive Director! Cynthia isn’t a new face at LBFE – she brings over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector and has been a driving force within our organization since joining back in 2015. During her tenure, Cynthia has spearheaded the design and evaluation of our programs, championing the power of intergenerational connection. Her dedication extends beyond LBFE; Cynthia is currently an inaugural Eisner Prize Fellow, developing Gen2GenQ, an innovative LGBTQIA+ intergenerational network. Read the press release here.

“Teresa Castro, a participant in the Spanish language class at Nuestra Comunidad, told GBH News through a translator that a lot of people told her she was too old to learn [digital skills]. But she is proving them wrong.” GBH News Associate Producer, Elena Eberwein, recently visited one of LBFE Boston’s Digital Dividends programs, and shared our efforts to bridge the digital equity gap in Boston using an intergenerational model. Read more here.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Evening News anchor and host of New England Weekend, Nichole Davis, recently invited LBFE Boston Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on the weekend show to discuss our mission, programs, and holiday plans.  Listen to the segment here.

Courtney Cole, WBZ/CBS Boston Morning anchor, recently visited our CitySites Tech Cafe at community partner Operation P.E.A.C.E Boston‘s Peterborough Senior Center.   Courtney chatted with our older and younger program participants, and witnessed the importance of intergenerational friendships & digital literacy/equity for all in preventing social isolation! Watch the full segment here!

The Surgeon General of the United States recently issued an advisory on our nation’s loneliness epidemic and it highlights the devastating impact that loneliness and social isolation can have on both physical and mental health. This website shares information and resources on how you can help yourself or someone you love.

Cynthia Wilkerson, LBFE Boston Program Director, and Prize Fellow of The Eisner Foundation recently launched Gen2GenQ, a new program connecting LGBTQIA older and younger adults in the Boston area and building community across generations.  Interested in making new friends?  Please contact Cynthia for more info at: cwilkerson.bos@littlebrothers.org

Massachusetts just released a new podcast that tells stories of the age- and dementia-friendly movement taking place in our Commonwealth. Episodes, including one featuring LBFE Boston, focus on how communities are updating infrastructure, food accessibility, expanding affordable supportive housing, increasing transportation options, and much more! The podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and online. Check it out!

LBFE Boston recently championed the seventh annual, national Digital Inclusion Week – a crucial platform to celebrate and amplify the community-driven initiatives that are breaking down digital barriers—one connection, one device, and one skill at a time.  At our request, the City of Boston and the State of MA lit up four bridges and Boston City Hall as a symbol of digital literacy, equity, and inclusion.  Read the press release here.

Cynthia Wilkerson, Program Director of LBFE Boston – Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, was recently awarded as one of The Eisner Foundation 2023 Prize Fellows.  Her project, Gen2GenQ, will create intergenerational opportunities around Boston for older and college-age queer people. Read more here. Congratulations, Cynthia!

The Huntington News, the independent newspaper of Northeastern University, recently featured LBFE Boston following a news staff’s visit to one of our Digital Dividends program sites.  In this article, Katy Manning explores how we help generations to connect and form friendships and also interviews older program participants,  LBFE co-ops from Northeastern, and our Executive Director, Nikki Shults.

Beloved radio personality, Candy O’Terry, recently hosted LBFE Boston’s Executive Director, Nikki Shults, on The Story Behind Her Success.  Listen to Nikki’s heartwarming and inspirational interview where she shares her personal connection to the career path she walks today:  celebrating life with older adults.

Boston Neighborhood Network recently visited our CitySites intergenerational program at Smith House to meet with older and younger program participants, learn about the issue of social isolation, and witness first-hand the joy created by connection.

Faith Imafidon, BNN anchor, discusses LBFE Boston’s mission, programming for older adults, social isolation, and the impact of intergenerational friendships with Nikki Shults in this recent interview.

Students from Northeastern University’s Digital Storytelling & Social Media service-learning class discuss Bridging the Generational Gap in this recently published article.