Wednesdays

Our communities are more disconnected than ever. Time spent alone skyrocketed since the pandemic, amplifying what the Surgeon General had already declared a “loneliness epidemic." Many initiatives for tackling this aim to introduce strangers. Wednesdays takes a different approach. It encourages "Friends-of-Friends Gatherings" that happen every Wednesday at 7pm. Most people say they want to meet their friends’ friends, but it happens only sporadically. Wednesdays makes it happen more regularly by removing the planning. One person starts a group chat with friends from different parts of their life, everyone invites a few of their friends, and they meet consistently at the same place each week. This method works because it mirrors how the best relationships actually form—through mutual friends. Since everyone knows someone there, it feels comfortable and welcoming rather than performative, and new friendships develop organically. More importantly, it creates a culture where people's presence matters and they show up for one another week after week. By making connection consistent and natural, Wednesdays helps rebuild the social fabric that's been steadily eroding, fostering communities where genuine belonging replaces the isolation many of us have come to accept as normal.