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Welcome to the Tea @ 3 Community
Making connections and growing a community - one sip at a time.
Join our community today!
If you're a CT resident age 55+ or young adult (age 18-25) or student attending college in CT or at Amherst College in MA age 18+, we invite you to join the spring 2025 Tea @ 3 Community which runs mid-February - end of April 2025.
- Discover the health benefits of drinking tea and making time for yourself,
- Enjoy the wonderful experience of talking via the phone or a video call once a week with your Tea-Mate from another generation, and
- Join fellow community members for a virtual Community-wide event.
Your welcome kit
You'll receive a welcome kit in the mail that includes a handmade mug cozy*, tea to enjoy during your weekly calls, conversation starters to set you on the path to a new friendship, and other ideas for social engagement.
*If you're a returning Community member, we ask you to continue using the mug cozy you previously received.
Your Tea-Mate
You'll be matched with a Tea-Mate of a different generation for a phone call or video chat once a week. You'll connect over tea, enjoy a wonderful conversation - and perhaps share words of wisdom, too.
Community-wide events
You'll participate in a virtual community-wide event during the session where you'll meet other dynamic community members in a relaxed setting and expand your social circle and network.
Spring 2025 Community-wide Zoom event
Craft & Chat: Everyone loves a good book! • Tuesday, March 4 6:30-7:30 pm
This session, we'll gather and make a handy bookmark (it's easy, we promise).
Then we'll each share a favorite book, or a book we're currently reading, or something we're learning in class, or a book that's sitting on our coffee table filled with fabulous photos that contains no words at all.
Whatever your groove, join us! We'll share some laughs together and learn about one another.
Why Tea?
A cup of tea makes everything better.
For centuries, tea has been used for far more than quenching thirst. Around the world people drink it to relax, reinvigorate and soothe, and it's something we need now more than ever.
Just the facts, ma'am...
Did you know that the mental and physical benefits of drinking tea are documented in numerous scientific studies? These benefits include:
* Reducing anxiety and improving mood via the amino acid L-theanine;
* Reducing the risk of cognitive decline by 50%; and
* Preventing cardivascular disease and increasing lifespan via polyphenols, a compound found in both black and green tea.
And yet it's so much more than sipping tea - it's a dose of positivi-tea!
When you join us for Tea @ 3, you'll become a member of a community of tea drinkers of varying ages who are in it for more than just the tea.
When you sit down for your cup of tea in the afternoon, you'll find comfort in knowing that you're part of group of people who are all doing the same thing - you may be physically separated, but you're not alone. You're together in spirit, participating in a group activity. It'll become a ritual that you'll look forward to each week!
The once-a-week conversation with your Tea-Mate provides the opportunity for you to make a new friend, laugh a little, and simply feel better.
And the virtual community-wide events bring you together with everyone else in the community - to have fun while learning, creating, and sharing. So that you can flourish and thrive.
Join our University Campus Connector team
Meet Sophia, our University Campus Connector Coordinator
Sophia is a student at Central Connecticut State University, class of ’26, studying Psychology. She joined the For All Ages team in 2023 as our CCSU Campus Connector.
As our university Campus Connector Coordinator, Sophia is excited to help the team of Campus Connectors reach more young adults across CT and MA and foster intergenerational connectivity through the Tea @ 3 Community.
Join our volunteer team!
We are seeking one student attending college at each of the following CT universities* to spread awareness of our Tea @ 3 Community and other volunteer opportunities among fellow students:
- Quinnipiac University
- UConn - Hartford campus
- University of Hartford
- University of New Haven
- Sacred Heart
- Wesleyan University
- Yale University
If you are interested in becoming a Campus Connector, please email Deb at deb.bibbins@forallages.org to schedule an interview.
*If you are attending a local college not listed above, contact Deb to talk about whether a campus connector may benefit your school community.
Campus Connector Team
Kenzie Cerrone
Kenzie Cerrone
Kenzie Cerrone
Southern CT State University
Sophia Fagan
Kenzie Cerrone
Kenzie Cerrone
Central CT State University
Serena Hansen
Kenzie Cerrone
Serena Hansen
University of Saint Joseph
Charlene Lee
Ella Schaffer
Serena Hansen
University of Connecticut
Ella Schaffer
Ella Schaffer
Ella Schaffer
Trinity College
Daniel Lee
Ella Schaffer
Ella Schaffer
Amherst College
Who will be next?
Who will be next?
Who will be next?
If you're a college student in CT or nearby, let's chat!
Open to CT residents age 55+, college students & young adults ages 18-25! Share a weekly call with your 'Tea-Mate'.
You and your Tea-Mate of another generation will enjoy a weekly conversation on the day and time that is convenient for both of you. You'll share laughs (and perhaps worries), talk about the newest TV show, or perhaps exchange recipes. You may even provide advice to one another.
Our community information also includes suggestions for social engagement activities to pursue during Tea Time on days when you're not connecting with your Tea-Mate.
We may contact you prior to the session.
1. We may contact you to confirm your commitment.
FAQs
What should I expect after applying?
We may call you in the days leading up to the start of the session to confirm your commitment to talking weekly with your Tea-Mate, to follow up on any special circumstances you may have noted when you applied.
(If you are age 60+ living in CT towns served by the North Central Area Agency on Agency, we may contact you to gather additional demographic information to comply with Older Americans Act funding requirements. Thank you for your cooperation.)
When will I receive my welcome kit?
We plan to mail welcome kits for the spring 2025 Community via USPS in mid February 2025.
What if I don't like tea?
That's okay! Tea has health benefits and we're providing you with 12 tea bags so that you can enjoy tea during your weekly calls with your Tea-Mate. But if you decide coffee - or water - is more your thing, that's perfectly fine. And you can still refer to your matched friend as your Tea-Mate, because (s)he really is a teammate.
How do you select my Tea-Mate?
The more information you provide about your interests, the easier it is for us to find your Tea-Mate. Tell us about your interests, whether they be TV shows, sports, music, gardening, travel, reading. etc. Into country music? Cool! UConn basketball fan? Awesome! Tell us what you love and we'll do our best to find you a Tea-Mate with similar interests.
When will I receive my Tea-Mate contact information?
We are pairing Tea-Mates in mid-February 2025. We want to find you the right Tea-Mate, so please give us some time. We'll email you and your Tea-Mate together in September, introducing you to each other and sharing each other's first names and phone numbers.
What if I'm not available at 3:00 pm?
That's okay! The idea is that you sit down to enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon knowing that other members of the Tea @ 3 community are doing the same thing. And during your first conversation with your Tea-Mate, you both should agree on the most convenient day and time for your weekly call. It's okay if the conversations occur each week on Tuesdays at 3:00 pm or on Fridays at 2:00 pm. Talking with your Tea-Mate each week is the key component of the Tea @ 3 community and so finding the time that works best for both of you is important.
How long should I talk with my Tea-Mate each week?
That is entirely up to you and your Tea-Mate. We believe that a 20+ minute conversation is an appropriate time to get to know and then catch up with your Tea-Mate each week. Our past Tea-Mates have told us that they like to talk for 30-45 minutes - or even sometimes one hour - each week. The length of your calls is up to you and your Tea-Mate!
What if I don't like the Tea-Mate you've chosen for me?
We do our best to connect a younger and older adult with similar interests. And we ask that you make a real attempt to make a new friend! That being said, if after 4 conversations it's not working out, simply contact us at deb.bibbins@forallages.org and we'll call you to talk through the situation.
Should I be careful about the information I share?
You should exercise the same care over your privacy as you would in any other person-to-person interaction. Avoid giving any personally identifying information and remember that no Tea-Mate should ever ask for money, ID or credit card information. If (s)he does, please suspend communication and get in touch with us immediately at deb.bibbins@forallages.org.
Is the spring 2025 community limited based on where I live?
If you live in or attend college in CT or at Amherst College in MA, we welcome you to join our spring 2025 Community!
We're expecting students from the University of Connecticut, Trinity College, University of Saint Joseph, Southern CT State University, Central CT State University, and Amherst College to participate.
How many people can join the Tea @ 3 Community each session?
We are capping participation at 50 older adults and 50 younger adults.
How long does the Tea @ 3 community last?
The community will last for approx.12 weeks.
After that time, check out one of our on-line newsletters or this website to sign up to continue your community participation for another approximate 12-week period.