Come Together: Artist For Action and Foundation for Social Connection Action Network Launch National Initiative to Combat the Loneliness Epidemic
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Loneliness has become one of the most devastating health crises facing America today — touching every generation, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. To combat this, Artist For Action® has joined forces with the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network (F4SC-AN) to launch Come Together, a national, multi-year initiative that uses music, creativity, and policy action to confront the growing epidemic of social isolation and loneliness. It's a coalition built on a simple but powerful belief: music has the power to connect people.
A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
Loneliness has become a nationwide public health emergency affecting people across every age group. Gen Z and Millennials report some of the highest rates, but no generation is untouched. And yet, as Come Together's founders point out, the antidote may be closer than we think. Research confirms what artists have always known in their bones: music has a unique power to bring generations together, to spark conversation, and to build community.
Neil Giraldo Steps in as Founding Chair
Legendary guitarist, producer, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Giraldo is taking on the role of Founding Chair.
"As someone who has felt the impact of social isolation… I know firsthand that this is a moment to act — not just as artists, advocates, and policymakers, but as neighbors and citizens."
Giraldo's commitment is personal, and it's rooted in decades of watching music does best; bring strangers together around a shared experience.
Launched at SXSW
Come Together officially kicked off at South by Southwest (SXSW) as part of the Take Action x SXSW programming — two days focused around music and social impact. A standout moment came during the "Mental Health in Music" panel, which brought together Giraldo, Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit, a neuroscientist, and others for a conversation that went beyond the usual platitudes about healing through music and dug into how connection actually works — from brain science to the real, lived experience of life on and off stage.
AFA co-founder Matthew Reich captured the stakes:
"For years, the industry has optimized for reach. What we saw at Take Action x SXSW is that people are craving something deeper… a real connection. In a moment where the loneliness epidemic is becoming part of the cultural conversation, live music has the power to bring people back together. 'Come Together' is about artists leading that movement, not just feeding the content cycle."
Read the Coverage
Music Connection — Come Together: Billie Eilish, Neil Giraldo & More Launch Music-Driven Initiative to Combat Loneliness Crisis by Ruby Risch.
Cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer — How music and the arts can reconnect an America in crisis, a powerful op-ed co-authored by Neil Giraldo and F4SC-AN founder Andrew MacPherson.
Join the Movement
Here's how you can get involved right now:
Send a letter to your representative and help push social connection onto the national policy agenda
Explore the full initiative at endsocialisolation.org/cometogether
Loneliness may be the quietest epidemic of our time, but the response is going to be loud — and it's going to sound a lot like a crowd singing along, generations deep, voices raised together.
Come together. That's the whole idea.
Artist For Action® is a coalition of artists, actors, athletes, and creatives united in the mission to build a safer, more connected America. Powered by Artist For Artist® in collaboration with Sandy Hook Promise. Learn more at artistforaction.com.
