2025 Pilot Projects

Belonging Bus

The Belonging Bus is a pilot partnership between Westborough Connects and local graduate student, Kate Storm. It is a mobile, community-centered project aimed at reducing social isolation and fostering a stronger sense of belonging among Westborough residents. The Bus serves as a welcoming, inclusive space for neighbors to connect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and access resources. As our mission states, we want Westborough to be a place where EVERYONE feels like they belong.

Over a 12-week period in the summer and fall of 2025, The Belonging Bus made weekly stops at a local apartment community and the Westborough Farmers Market, engaging residents of all ages and backgrounds through inclusive activities, multilingual volunteers, and evidence-based tools to promote meaningful interaction and bridge social divides. Over the course of the pilot, we experienced an overwhelmingly positive response with over 900 engagements with individuals in Westborough!

The pilot was made possible through generous support from Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Central One Federal Credit Union and Game Changing, Inc.

Westborough Connects hopes to make the Belonging Bus a regular part of our community engagement and programming and is currently exploring funding opportunities.

Want to learn more, including Belonging Bus partnership opportunities? Contact Kate Storm - kateconnects1@gmail.com or Kelley Petralia - kelleyconnects1@gmail.com.

Gen Pals

A pilot program developed in collaboration with a University of New Hampshire research team led by Dr. BoRin Kim to foster intergenerational connection and enhance community belonging in Westborough.

Eleven intergenerational pairs of older adults (65+) and adolescents (14–17) participated in community-based activities over a six-week period during the summmer of 2025. Participants reported benefits that included reduced social isolation, stronger community belonging, and more positive perceptions of both age groups. Older adults emphasized the program’s role in countering isolation in age-segregated housing, while adolescents valued opportunities to engage with the broader community beyond peers. (Click on the graphic below to explore detailed results from the pilot).

The pilot results will be used to develop a community-based, co-generational program to strengthen social cohesion and reduce social isolation among older adults and adolescents.

We are grateful for support for this pilot from University of New Hampshire.

We welcome partners to help make this happen. Contact Kelley Petralia - kelleyconnects1@gmail.com - to learn more.