Crosstalk Connections

CROSSTALK CONNECTIONS

Crosstalk Connections® is a nonprofit combating the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. Our mission is to make real conversations with supportive peers reachable every day for the people who need it most.

Our initial focus is addiction recovery and seniors living alone, two groups where research links social connection to better health. Our patented calling platform won Columbia University's healthcare venture pitch competition.

Get connected See how it works
Crosstalk Connections logo

The whole idea, in three steps

For a lot of people, the hardest part of staying connected is making the call. With Crosstalk, nobody has to.

  1. Illustration of a woman at home choosing her daily call time on her phone, a clock face showing seven o'clock
    1

    You pick a time

    Choose a daily moment that works for you. Many people pick the hour that usually feels hardest.

  2. Illustration of an older man answering his landline and a younger man answering his smartphone in their own homes, their conversation joined by a line with a large golden heart at its center
    2

    We call you both

    At that time, Crosstalk calls you and other members who chose the same time. Any phone works. Just answer.

  3. Illustration of two people on a video call in their own homes, each seeing the other on their phone screen, connected by a single line with a large golden heart at its center
    3

    Answer, and talk

    Whoever answers is paired one-on-one. You go by the name you choose, your number stays private, no phone tag.

There's more to it: thoughtful pairing, group calls that keep whole circles together, and the quiet parts that make sure nobody answers into silence. Read how it works.

Who we serve

Illustration of a man in recovery at his kitchen table in the evening, relaxed and relieved, talking on the phone with a coffee mug in hand

People in addiction recovery

A daily call with another person in recovery is one of the oldest practices in programs like AA, and one of the hardest to keep up. AA even has a name for it: the 500-pound phone. Crosstalk takes the weight out of the call.

Why connection matters in recovery →

Illustration of an older woman in a sunlit armchair, laughing on a landline phone, with a cat at her feet and plants in the window

People experiencing loneliness

For older adults living alone, a whole day can pass without a single conversation. Crosstalk brings a familiar daily voice within reach, on any phone.

About the loneliness epidemic →

Ways to get involved

Use Crosstalk

Crosstalk is free for the people who use it. Send us a note and we'll help you get started.

Get connected →

Bring Crosstalk to your organization or group

Recovery groups, treatment programs, healthcare systems, senior centers, faith communities, and schools can all offer Crosstalk to the people they serve. We spell out what partnership looks like for each.

See how partnership works →

Be of service

Volunteers make Crosstalk work: people with solid recovery time stay available so a newcomer always reaches someone, and younger volunteers keep a regular call with an isolated older adult or disabled member. They say the best way to help yourself is to help others.

Volunteer →

Support the work

Donations keep Crosstalk free. So do introductions, partnerships, and people who lend their skills. Support looks different for a funder, a company, and a researcher, and all of it counts.

Donate → Partner with us →

Get in touch

Use this form to join Crosstalk, refer someone who could benefit, bring it to a group or organization, offer to help, or just ask a question. A real person reads every note and will get back to you.