Beyond our walls: strengthening community

At Front Porch Communities Foundation, our vision is rooted in the belief that our responsibility extends beyond our properties and into the communities we all share. We are driven to build stronger connections, elevate the standard of compassionate care and advance a new, more positive vision of aging for all.

Our work is focused on three key areas for external impact.

1: Forging community through new connections

Social isolation is one of the most significant challenges of the modern world, and it can’t be solved by buildings alone. That’s why we create community that transcends physical walls. Through innovative programs like Home Match, we pair older adults with other people seeking affordable housing options, turning spare rooms into hubs of friendship and mutual support. For those who are homebound or in more rural environments, programs like our Well Connected virtual community offers a powerful antidote to loneliness, connecting thousands to classes and conversations that generate relationships, finding purpose and joy where they may otherwise may not be easily found.

Beyond that, we invest in joy as a cornerstone of well-being through our creative engagement programs. When groups gather for workshops, they do far more than just make art. They engage their minds, build new skills and form deep friendships, taking the chance to unleash the creativity that is scientifically linked to better cognitive health.

Making these life-changing connections takes more than just good intentions. It requires a strong infrastructure, dedicated expertise and the creative vision to turn a simple opportunity into a lasting relationship.

2: Elevating the standard of care for all

The quality of care for millions of older adults depends on a stable, respected and well-trained workforce. A rapidly growing older population is creating a critical shortage of caregivers — a challenge that affects everyone. As a nonprofit leader, we are committed to being part of the solution, not just for ourselves but for the entire aging services sector. We need a “rising tide to lift all our boats” and feel a responsibility to build those waves. We are committed to becoming a teaching organization, investing in professional development and career pathways for our team members and sharing our knowledge openly with peers.

This philosophy of collaboration over competition drives us to partner with other providers and all manner of learning institutions, including colleges and universities, to influence a higher standard of person-centered care across the sector, helping to ensure a better, more compassionate future for our elders, no matter where they call home.

3: Changing the conversation about aging

Outdated stereotypes about aging limit human potential and lead to poor social policy. To build a better future, we must first change the story. Front Porch is a leading voice in a global movement to reframe aging as a time of growth, purpose and continued engagement.

Through research, innovation and advocacy, we amplify our voice to challenge the status quo and share our discoveries widely. By pioneering new approaches, we work to shift public perception and demonstrate what is possible with a pro-aging mindset.

“It’s all too rare that the notion of aging is seen or spoken to with equal degrees of honesty and promise,” says Sean Kelly, CEO of Front Porch. “More often aging is seen as only decline and suffering, or, glossed over, made light of, ignored or diminished. Especially today, when real life is confronted with a determination for what may be, we know that far more is humanly possible in every person’s life than the world would have us believe. A huge part of why Front Porch has supported the acclaimed coming of old age film, Familiar Touch, is to understand our need and responsibility to shine light on the power that we all have within us as we go along and how that power is amplified when we are connected to a larger community.”

These three pillars – forging connection for all, elevating care for older people and changing the conversation about aging – are the foundation of our commitment to the greater community. We are dedicated to building a future where every person has the opportunity to live a life of connection, purpose and joy.

Originally published in the Fall 2025 edition of Community Matters