What We Do
Wellspring Awards
Connecticut is a wellspring of energy and implementation in fostering deeper community inclusivity for older adults.
The Wellspring Awards honor towns, partners, organizations and individuals who lead efforts to dismantle ageism, embrace the spirit of community co-creation, and work toward a vision of Connecticut communities where we all can thrive across the lifespan. The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative honors recipients in four categories:
Local Government
Honoring a Connecticut community that has participated in the Community Leaders Fellowship.
Community Organization
Honoring an Age Well Across Connecticut recipient.
Partnership
Honoring an organization that collaborates with us to advance our mission.
Individual
Honoring an individual who collaborates with us to advance our mission.
Recipients all engage in activities promoting long-term, systemic community impact.
2026 Award Winners
Each year, we honor our award winners at AgeWellFest, our celebration of all things age-inclusive.
Town of Avon (Local Goverment Award)
A participant in the 2026 Community Leaders Fellowship program, the Town of Avon has collaborated with older residents to create a local resource guide. Based on our framework to promote community livability, the guide also educates users on how ageism — internalized, interpersonal and institutional — can be a barrier to accessing the resources to successfully age in place. We honor the Town of Avon for its hard work through the Fellowship process, including its willingness to be authentic, its perseverance, and its strength.
Barnes Memorial Nature Center (Community Organization Award)
The Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center is home to the Wallace Barnes Accessible Nature Trail, recognized in 2024 as one our first-ever Age Well Across Connecticut community picks. This mile-long, fully-in-the woods trail represents the Center’s incredible attention to detail and deep commitment to co-creation with trail users seeking an accessible trail. Since completing their trail, the Center has gone on to mentor other organizations seeking to build trails fully accessible to people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, and other mobility devices.
LiveWell (Partnership Award)
LiveWell empowers individuals with dementia through innovative care and resources, and they share our values of fostering community, well-being, and belonging. Along with residential and support facilities, their campus features a beautiful café that is literally called “The Gathering Place.” It’s open to the public and helps normalize cognitive change by inviting the broader community into this space of vibrancy and connection. LiveWell has generously opened their campus to the Collaborative to host Daring Dialogues, Community Leaders Fellowship programs, and even team retreats — we’re grateful for their continued partnership.
Lisa Bress and Cynthia Hyland (Individual Award Co-Recipients)
Lisa and Cynthia are both former participants of the Community Leaders Fellowship program, Collaborative Steering Committee members, and part of a team of co-authors of A Kids Book About Ageism. They are profound difference-makers, and we’re grateful for their invaluable contributions to the Collaborative’s work.
Lisa is a retired educator with an M.S. in Special Education and a 6th year in Educational Leadership. She is currently caregiver for a loved one with dementia and has advocated for worker/disability-rights for over 35 years. While she was a Fellow, she served as the Deputy Mayor of Windsor. Lisa lives with her husband and has three children and five grandchildren.
Cynthia holds a master’s degree in Social Ecology and has a longtime interest in livable communities. Inspired by her learning during the Fellowship, she is now studying Health and Wellness Coaching with a minor in Critical Disability Studies at Southern Connecticut State University. She lives in Hamden with her husband and son.
Past Winners
2025
Town of Newtown
Town of West Hartford
Town of Wethersfield
2023
Age-Friendly Glastonbury
Central Connecticut State University
Dementia-Friendly Southington
Thrive 55+ Active Living Center
