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Associated Press
31-07-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Small Homes, Big Impact: CFI Conference Aligns with WHO's Global Call for Social Connection
- Movement Works to Combat Senior Loneliness through Community-Focused Design - ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 31, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — As global recognition of loneliness intensifies following a landmark World Health Organization (WHO) report identifying loneliness as a public health crisis, the Center for Innovation (CFI) is convening leaders from across the country to showcase bold, evidence-based solutions. At the 2025 CFI Conference, held August 11-14 in St. Louis, senior care innovators will explore how small home models, including the nationally recognized Green House Project, are working to reduce social disconnection through intentional design and urban innovation. The conference will explore how innovative, human-centered housing models, such as small homes, cohousing clusters, and shared neighborhood amenities, can help rebuild the social fabric in cities and suburbs alike. EverTrue Laclede Groves, in Webster Groves, MO, is an example of a traditional long-term care environment that has been converted into individual households and apartments, reimagining what it means to live and age with dignity, connection, and purpose. 'This report is a clarion call, but it's not news to those of us in the small home movement,' said Susan Ryan, CEO of CFI. 'For nearly two decades, we've seen how intentional environments—homes designed to foster community and purpose—can transform lives. The WHO findings validate what we've long known: connection is a cornerstone of health.' According to the WHO report, loneliness and social isolation is on the rise, with one in six people globally experiencing loneliness, which contributes to over 871,000 premature deaths annually and significantly impacts both mental and physical well-being. Dr. Kelly Tremblay, who is an advisor to the WHO and to CFI, says, 'The WHO found strong social connections can lead to better health and longer life, and that's what the small home movement is showing as well,' said Tremblay. 'I'm heartened to see the serious attention being given to the health impacts of loneliness and isolation and to be part of meaningful, local efforts to foster real connection.' Tim Dolan, who started Dolan Memory Care Homes over 30 years ago, explained, 'People thrive in homes, not institutions. That's why every one of our 17 memory care homes is intentionally designed to feel like a real home—with open kitchens, shared meals at a single table, and safe access to the outdoors. When people feel at ease, they connect more easily, and that sense of connection is essential to their well-being.' About Center for Innovation The Center for Innovation (CFI) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming aging services through person-directed practices, community connection, and culture change. As the parent organization of The Green House Project and Pioneer Network, CFI brings together two leading voices in eldercare reform to create empowering, person-directed services and support for all older adults. For more information, visit: Learn more about the WHO's report on social connection here: MULTIMEDIA: Photo link for media: Photo caption: Small home designs foster joy, connection, and purpose – key themes of the 2025 CFI Conference on combating senior loneliness. NEWS SOURCE: Center for Innovation ### MEDIA ONLY CONTACT: (not for publication online or in print) Meg LaPorte Center for Innovation [email protected] -and/or- Shonne Fegan-Ehrhardt 3rd3rd Marketing [email protected] ### Keywords: General Editorial, public health crisis, the Center for Innovation, CFI, World Health Organization, evidence-based solutions, Green House Project, reduce social disconnection, EverTrue Laclede Groves, ST. LOUIS, Mo. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Center for Innovation) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P128114 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Shafaq News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
CBI unleashes green finance: Billions for eco-projects
Shafaq News/ The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) began issuing specialized banking licenses to support climate action and environmental sustainability, Governor Ali Al-Alaq announced on Wednesday. During the first Conference on Carbon Economics in Iraq, Al- Alaq said that Iraq's monetary policy promotes green finance by offering incentives for environmental projects and urging banks to manage climate risks. He added that the CBI is coordinating with international networks to align regulations and assess environmental impacts within the financial sector. As part of these efforts, Al-Alaq highlighted a 1 trillion Iraqi dinar (about $766.9M) initiative launched by the CBI in coordination with the Cabinet's Higher Lending Committee to help transition from traditional energy sources to renewable ones and reduce carbon emissions. The initiative is already financing projects such as waste recycling, palm cultivation, the Abu Ghar fields in the Samawah desert, and the Green House Project. The Central Bank of Iraq has partnered with the World Bank to develop a green finance model as part of its 2023–2029 sustainability roadmap, aiming to manage ESG risks and make Iraq's banking sector a leader in environmentally responsible practices. Al-Alaq also announced that the CBI has allocated 500 million dinars (about $383.4K) per facility to help rehabilitate brick factories transitioning from heavy-polluting black oil to cleaner liquefied gas. In addition, the Central Bank has contributed 1 billion dinars (about $766.9K) to Iraq's Environmental Protection and Improvement Fund to help combat air pollution, expand green spaces, and lower harmful emissions. It has also financed waste recycling projects under the CBI's Energy Initiative, which is currently being implemented to reduce soil pollution, particularly in landfill areas that pose long-term environmental risks to housing and agricultural development. The bank is also supporting small-scale agricultural projects through its Prospects program, in partnership with the International Labour Organization, the Iraqi Guarantee Company, and private banks. Around 3 billion dinars have been allocated to displaced communities in Nineveh and Duhok for this purpose. He also announced that the Central Bank had contributed nearly 350 billion dinars to Iraq's urban afforestation initiative. The initiative aims to create green belts around provincial capitals to serve as natural barriers against dust storms and pollutants while helping mitigate desertification.
