PostScript Outreach Connects Through Crafts

PostScript Outreach enhances the lives of the disconnected through dinner and crafts.

Loneliness has long been a public health crisis—even before the pandemic made it apparent. And clearly a stigma still surrounds addressing feelings of social isolation.

Enter PostScript Outreach. Founded by Marsha Smitley with an aim to shutter out loneliness across all ages and demographics, the local nonprofit is building community by bridging the gap with its smash-hit program The Connection—aka weekly Thursday dinners boasting good food, connection-driven conversation led by a speaker and a creative dance, game or craft—for residents living at senior affordable housing complex Sir Walter Apartments.

Kindling friendships between those residing at Sir Walter has been no easy feat, especially because of a language barrier between English-speaking and Mandarin Chinese-speaking residents. Inspired to better connect with their neighbors, many Chinese residents wanted to hurdle this obstacle. PostScript answered the call with the introduction of ongoing English language classes and translation led by two volunteers.

Continuing to inspire since its launch, The Connection has expanded to kindle friendships in other spaces where connections can be difficult to cultivate—specifically for international students at NC State. Students initially volunteered with PostScript at their summer program, Staycation, chatting and connecting with the residents at Sir Walter. Some Mandarin Chinese-speaking students were even able to speak freely with the Mandarin Chinese-speaking residents—some having the first conversation in their native language they’ve had in weeks. 

Once class began and schedules began to fill up, PostScript launched The Connection on-campus at NC State to continue to engage with students and other young professionals. Now the volunteers-turned-participants craft and kindle conversation together once a month, with the aim to lessen the loneliness many young people experience during formative college years.

Designed to build relationships and assure the dignity and worth, the get-togethers are about more than food and fun, explains Smitley, also the program’s executive director. “We are here because we have experienced loneliness, and we know how it feels.” 

Over meals and crafts, the once-distant neighbors and students have grown closer, meeting to share “a little piece of who they are.” Conversations engage the participants, covering everything from physical health effects of loneliness to the ways we internalize stereotypes.

Ultimately, anyone can feel lonely, and it can easily go unnoticed by others. “It comes up in your body, in your senses,” says Smitley. “Loneliness is just a feeling that says, ‘I need to be connected to somebody.’” But with efforts like this one, connections can be forged. psoutreach.org 

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