EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Last spring, the surgeon general declared loneliness and isolation an epidemic in the United States. That growing trend is one of the reasons the Cleveland Clinic launched a free program that allows residents in underserved communities to come together for a little fun, and a lot less loneliness.
It's a line-dancing class at Cleveland Clinic's Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, but this class isn't just about the funky steps; it's a movement to bring people in underserved communities, especially in East Cleveland, together.
"I heard the stories, I heard the loneliness, I heard, 'I don't feel good,' and I would just say, 'Wow, if I could just do something to bring people around,'" instructor Linda Darnese Greene recalled.
In fact, that's what Linda did for her sister, Deborah, back in 2009, when Deborah lost her son.
"I started watching her decline," Linda told us. "She was very active. She worked two jobs, and all of a sudden, she stopped doing anything."
So Linda came up with an idea.
"I said, 'Why don't we line dance?' and really, that brought her out of depression," Linda said. "And health wise, because her blood pressure dropped ... she lost weight."
Greene took the idea to the Cleveland Clinic, where she works in community outreach at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center in East Cleveland. Every Tuesday night, she leads the line dancing class there, and kknows the struggles in the community.
"I think that's why I started it here, because this is a food desert," she explained. "We don't have a Y[MCA]. We used to have line dancing at Salvation Army, but they charge in this area. You know, [the residents] don't have money to pay for things that'll help them get physically fit, so everything we do here is free."
What started as a small class has turned into a family of more than 30.
"If any birthdays, anyone is in the hospital, anyone is sick, we pray for them all," Linda said.
Mary Louise Tatum is a health care worker here and a community member who regularly attends class. She tells us it makes her feel seen.
"If someone's missing, [we ask them] 'Oh, what happened to you last week?' you know? [It's good] to be missed, you know? To be noticed ... to be seen and heard," Mary Louise noted. "Your family and friends [do] not have to be blood. It can be, you build your village. So this is like a village that Miss Linda has created."
It's a village that's open to anyone. It's safe, inclusive, and ready to welcome you with open arms.
"You don't have to feel lonely, you don't have to feel depressed," Linda said. "When you walk through those doors, all that is left behind."
For more information on the Cleveland Clinic's Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, click HERE.