Charlotte Social Club Aims to Build Community and Fight Loneliness

The CLT Social Club organizes events to help people make new friends and connections.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 1:41pm

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A Charlotte, North Carolina organization called the CLT Social Club is working to address the growing problem of loneliness by hosting social events and activities to help people build community. The club's founder, Katey Shehan, encourages people to attend the events confidently, knowing that everyone is there for the same purpose of finding community. Some of the club's events have attracted up to 1,200 attendees.

Why it matters

Loneliness has been declared a public health epidemic, with former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy sounding the alarm in 2023. Loneliness has been linked to a range of negative health outcomes, including heart disease, stroke, vulnerability to infections, Alzheimer's disease, and lung problems. Initiatives like the CLT Social Club aim to provide opportunities for people to connect and combat the detrimental effects of social isolation.

The details

The CLT Social Club was founded in 2022 by Katey Shehan with the goal of helping people make new friends and build community. The club hosts a variety of events, including day parties and happy hours, that have attracted up to 1,200 attendees. Shehan encourages people to attend the events confidently, knowing that everyone is there for the same purpose of finding community.

  • The CLT Social Club was founded in 2022.
  • Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy first sounded the alarm on loneliness as a public health epidemic in 2023.

The players

Katey Shehan

The founder of the CLT Social Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Vivek Murthy

The former U.S. Surgeon General who first declared loneliness a public health epidemic in 2023.

Dr. Michael Clark

A psychiatrist at Novant Health who discusses the negative health impacts of loneliness.

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What they’re saying

“I always tell people just to walk in confident. Everybody else who's in the room is there for the same purpose, and that purpose is to find community.”

— Katey Shehan, Founder, CLT Social Club

“Loneliness, you know, causes stress.”

— Dr. Michael Clark, Psychiatrist, Novant Health

“We have depression and anxiety very much mixed up in that, but it also has some impact on health.”

— Dr. Michael Clark, Psychiatrist, Novant Health

“I think in large part it's being purposeful, you know, with our relationships. Setting a time to connect with a friend or a friend who you've seemingly lost contact with.”

— Dr. Michael Clark, Psychiatrist, Novant Health

What’s next

The CLT Social Club plans to continue hosting regular events and activities to help people in the Charlotte area build community and combat loneliness.

The takeaway

Initiatives like the CLT Social Club demonstrate the growing recognition of loneliness as a public health issue and the importance of providing opportunities for people to connect and build meaningful relationships. By creating spaces for people to come together and make new friends, these types of community-based efforts can help address the detrimental effects of social isolation.