Friends & Co

Founded in 1972, Friends & Co is a Minnesota-based nonprofit offering free, inclusive programs that connect volunteers and older adults, fostering friendship, belonging, and community. For over 50 years, we’ve been dedicated to reducing loneliness and isolation among older adults through meaningful, relationship-driven programs. Our services include: one-on-one visiting companions, daily Coffee Talk drop-in phone calls and weekly phone conversations with a phone companion, Cards Connect volunteer initiatives, and weekly in-person gatherings that bring together older adults from diverse communities. We believe that connection is a human right. Our programs are designed to be accessible, inclusive, and intergenerational when volunteers are involved, creating opportunities for shared experiences and mutual learning. Every conversation, visit, and card helps strengthen the social fabric of our communities and reminds participants that they are seen, valued, and connected. Friends & Co also offers numerous ways to get involved. Volunteers play a central role in our mission — from making cards, having conversations, to joining events that build friendship across generations. Donors and partners support our work by funding programs that reduce isolation and promote well-being for older adults throughout the Twin Cities. Our commitment is simple but profound: to build meaningful connections, strengthen community, and create belonging for older adults — because no one should feel invisible or alone.