We cannot survive without connection and we don’t have to—don’t wait to find your future friends.
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the phrase "third place" in his book, The Great Good Place, to describe the need for places outside of our homes and worksites where we can build relationships. According to Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community published in 2023, around one in two adults in the U.S. report experiencing loneliness. While loneliness is a serious health concern that can lead to premature death, comparable to smoking, obesity, and diabetes, we are less proactive about addressing our experiences of social isolation than we are about other major health issues.
The ToGather series brings adults from diverse experiences together to form conscious connections through varied curated activities and conversation starters in a warm and open environment. In this drop-in series of gatherings, participants may:
Forge new friendships
Dive into thought-provoking and emotionally open discussions
Expand understanding and extend mutual support
Play, laugh, and embrace lightheartedness
Celebrate creativity through art, food, music, and more
“ToGather was such a joyful, thoughtful experience rooted in real connection. My wife Elise and I met so many fantastic people we can’t wait to see again, all drawn by the shared goal of building community with curious, creative, genuine people. From the theme to the flow to the icebreakers—which were fun and meaningful, never forced or childish, every detail reflected Caryn’s care, creativity, and vision. The two hours flew by far too fast. You could feel how deeply personal this is for her and how intentionally she’s designed something truly special. We’re already spreading the word to friends and can’t wait for the next ToGather!”
Join us for Find your Fam on Saturday, September 6th, from 3:00-5:00PM!
PLEASE NOTE: the start time has changed to 3:00PM.
The animal kingdom is calling — it's time to find your friendmates!
Inspired by biological classifications, Found brings you a playful and valuable exercise based on the core ways we express and receive love in friendships. Complete the registration form below to reserve your spot for the third event of the series.
Each attendee must complete a registration. If you are a returning ToGatherer for September’s event, encourage two friends (new ToGatherers) to register in advance. If they attend the event, we will waive your ticket price at the door!
Community Guidelines
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Silence or shut off your cell phones unless you are expecting an important or emergency related call or need assistive technologies.
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Some of us are verbose, some of us are extroverts, and some of us like to be leaders. We encourage you to be yourself while also creating space and moments of silence for others to process and contribute.
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Misunderstandings and conflict happen, this is a great space to practice repair with each other including asking for clarifications on what someone else may mean before jumping to a conclusion and reacting. Make and own mistakes and integrate changes next time.
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Find a place to build a bridge or to appreciate the complexity of others’ perspectives and experiences, reflecting back the nuance you interpret.
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Community members across gender, race, age, career, educational and lived experiences, neurodiversity, ethnicity, immigration status, disabilities, and other categories can bring wisdom into this community.
Take the lessons you draw from fellow participants away with you and not their personal details or any identifying information that could link the story back to the person sharing. Ask for permission to share details outside of your conversation group and/or the ToGather space.
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The ToGather series is a sandbox for cultivating lightheartedness, joy, and a place to practice playfulness with each other.
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If you feel that someone or certain community members are missing in the early (or even later) days of the series bring them in! This will be a personal and continual goal of Found to diversify the space. Help us build our community — don’t be a bystander in the process. Share the people you think can add to our environment.
Expand your idea of who could be a friend in the room: stay open and actively engage and include others.
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If you like what someone said and you like how someone showed up, express your gratitude directly to that person. So often we don’t.
If comfortable, share your authentic thoughts and feelings while considering other participants’ experiences and how you communicate your message.
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Ask a firestarter. This isn’t the first question or the ice-breaker. It is the follow-up question which aims to go below the surface and can spark a warm connection with the intention of understanding your conversation partners better.