Associations provide education, advocacy and other “published” member benefits, but with loneliness reaching epidemic numbers in recent years the real opportunity to be a valuable asset to members is through the community and connectivity an association can create. Associations are perfectly situated to reduce the spread of toxic loneliness, and teach individuals how to be part of and contribute to a thriving community! Twenty-eight percent of young employees are frequently or constantly feeling burned out at work, a 7 percent increase over older generations. More specifically, seven in 10 Millennials experience at least some burnout at work. More than 90 percent of Generation Z prefer to have a human element to their teams, either working solely with innovative co-workers or with co-workers and new technologies. (Ryan Jenkins for Inc.) This session will provide practical ways associations keep members engaged and enthusiastic about volunteer opportunities as well as foster a sense of belonging through building authentic communities.