Canadian Red Cross Friendly Calls Program: An Interview with Program Director, Asha Croggon

“There is an alchemy, something incredible, that happens when two people connect and someone knows that they are not alone.”

'The Friendly Calls program matches people over the age of 18 with trained Red Cross personnel who connect with them regularly to check in, provide emotional support, encourage healthy coping strategies, and suggest well-being resources and community connections to other existing services.'

[From Canadian Red Cross website.]

Targeting Isolation had the opportunity to speak with Asha Croggon, National Director of the Friendly Calls program, about the impact the program has had on its participants, on volunteers of the program, and on the critical role that Friendly Calls has played in times of community distress. For more information and to sign up, visit the Canadian Red Cross Friendly Calls website. You can sign up here or or contact the toll-free Friendly Calls line at 1-833-979-9779.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

“Wherever you are, if you have access to a phone or to a voice-over-internet provider, you have access to connection.”

TIMA: What is the Friendly Calls program?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: The Canadian Red Cross’ Friendly Calls program operates across Canada, providing phone calls and support to individuals aged 18+. The program initially began as a way for older adults to expand their networks of connection, but was expanded to all adults aged 18+. The regular calls are meant to encourage connection, reduce social isolation, and help build social health and wellness.

Within Friendly Calls, we provide one-to-one, usually weekly, phone call connections between participants and matched volunteers, and we also offer referrals to additional supports, when needed. In addition, we provide what we call “Prepare-and-Care” calls. These calls are meant to touch base with Friendly Call participants in preparation for or check-in during climate or community crises happening in their region, like a hurricane or wildfire.

TIMA: What inspired the idea for Friendly Calls?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: The spark, the impetus really, for the Friendly Calls program arose out of how there is an alchemy, something incredible, that happens when two people connect and someone knows that they are not alone. That someone cares about them. That someone will be touching base with them. We see the ripple effects in people’s behaviour, both the benefits to volunteers as well as participants. The inspiration was to make that genuinely accessible, no matter where you live in Canada. No matter how remote, how rural, or how urban. Wherever you are, if you have access to a phone or to a voice-over internet provider, you have access to connection.

There are many elements that are unique in our Friendly Calls program. For example, we have wrap-around support, providing coping strategies, encouragement for healthy habits, and referral pathways to connect people with different resources in their community. But providing connection calls is not a unique concept—what we wanted to do [at the Canadian Red Cross] was make it accessible for anyone, anywhere in Canada.

There is definitely an increased need for connection and this is where the work that everyone is doing is so important right now. From community partners, to volunteers, to the person at the library or grocery checkout counter that actually pauses to ask someone how their doing, to the research happening to show the importance of social connection (like through Targeting Isolation and others’ work), to the World Health Organization identifying this as a global social health crisis—I think we are all needed now.

“For some of our participants, they share with us that we are the only people who are reaching out to them to check in during wildfires, during air quality warnings, or whatever it happens to be, and what a difference that makes in their lives.”

TIMA: Have you noticed an increased need for this program in situations of crisis, such as through the COVID-19 pandemic, or this summer, with the wildfires?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: The Friendly Calls program has been around in different Canadian provinces for over twenty years, but it was definitely through COVID where there was the recognition that we need to make this accessible everywhere in Canada, and for all adults aged 18+. We expanded it during COVID because we recognized that isolation was impacting everyone at all ages.

I think each one of us can really connect in with a moment during COVID where we felt isolated. That’s probably not surprising, but I think what might be surprising for people is to know that the need for connection has not decreased, it has only increased since COVID. Even though pandemic restrictions lifted a couple of years ago now, that sense of social isolation and loneliness seems to be growing in Manitoba, in Canada, and also globally. For example, we have seen the need for connection increase more and more since COVID. Our Friendly Calls have increased 225% compared to how many we were receiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only do we have more people through Friendly Calls, we find we are providing significantly more Prepare-and-Care calls to prepare participants for potential climate and community crises. For these calls we will touch base on physical as well as emotional preparedness. We know that when a crisis event is about to come, people can be in distress. It is during those times that a person’s usual coping strategies might be stretched, and they may feel overwhelmed.

Last summer (June, July, and August 2025), we found that we were providing 268% more Prepare-and-Care calls in those three months alone than in all of the previous year. Definitely, people are not only seeking Friendly Calls, but are asking for that additional support to prepare during climate and community crises. We saw a substantial need for that in Manitoba during this wildfire season.

One of the benefits with Friendly Calls is that we contact YOU. [This can be reassuring], knowing that you matter, knowing that someone is going to touch base with you, check in with you. For some of our participants, they share with us that we are the only people who are reaching out to them to check in during wildfires, during air quality warnings, or whatever it happens to be, and what a difference that makes in their lives. Even for those who live in buildings with lots of neighbours, what we are hearing is, as much as we have more and more people around, that connection is really lacking. They might not be comfortable to reach out to their neighbours. So, part of the program also is encouraging healthy social habits. We find that our participants share, as well as our volunteers, that they are feeling more comfortable to reach out. When there is a crisis, it is wonderful that people are reaching out. 

We accept self-referrals or third-party referrals too, so people can guide people to the program. [Go to Referral page link here]. The need really is only growing. Last year alone, we provided 2.9 million minutes of support, and this year we will have provided even more. Sadly, we will probably never have enough resources to resolve all the needs, so any time we can work together and encourage people to connect, I think is fantastic.

TIMA: What is the primary participants of Friendly Calls? Have you noticed any trends in the demographics who use this service the most?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: Within Friendly Calls we have several priority audiences, and these are ones that have been identified as having higher rates of social isolation and loneliness. This includes older adults, as [the Targeting Isolation Project] has identified, and it also includes younger adults. As we know from recent reports, younger adults aged 18-29 have higher rates of isolation than older adults in Canada now, and this is a trend globally as well. We also have priority audiences including community members from Indigenous communities, from newcomer communities, particularly students who are in Canada and in universities. We are also seeing an increase among parents and caregivers, because there can be escalated rates of isolation there. Within Manitoba, the majority of the participants in the program are older adults.

“If there was a ‘vitamin of connection’ we could take everyday, it would have such an incredible preventative impact.”

TIMA: Friendly Calls provides outreach from trained Red Cross personnel, as well as through Red Cross volunteers. Do you have a network of other organizations you partner with, or work collaboratively with, to provide access to additional services?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: Absolutely! Within Friendly Calls, we are so fortunate. We have about 1700 volunteers right across Canada, 50 of which are in Manitoba, and they are exceptional. They are matching with more than one participant, and doing a phenomenal, phenomenal job! In addition to our volunteers, we also have coordinators across Canada that provide support, and we also have a team of what we call “Friendly Call Advisors.” These advisors have backgrounds in mental health and well-being and volunteers can call on them to help with participants, when needed.  

A recent example of this was a participant who had recently lost their spouse. Though there had been an initial influx of informal support, after a couple of months, that had eased, and the volunteer was noticing that the participant was really struggling. So, the Friendly Call Advisors can step in and provide some support around coping strategies, they can also identify individualized referral pathways. So, we work within the social determinants of health as well as Indigenous determinants of health to really identify: are there specific needs? Are there barriers? And to identify what would be the most effective resource and community support that may work for them, and then guide them to that, including follow up. The follow-up allows us to know: Were they able to make contact? How did that work?

We are working with community support agencies right across Canada, in urban, rural, remote settings – everyday, in different ways. It would be really challenging to list off the thousands we have worked with over the last year, but we are working with organizations, as well as identifying the strengths of the person individually. So, looking at their coping strategies, looking at the people who are close to them—emotionally close, like friends and family as well as physically close, like neighbours. We support them to build out a social support [network], like ripples of support. [We work to enhance] their own coping, connect with people close to them, and to community and professional resources, when that is needed.

Whether the resource is provided through the volunteer, coordinator, or Friendly Call Advisor, we are tapping into local resources consistently. These resources can include libraries, Friendship Centres, the local pool. Is there a quilt guild? A rug-hooking guild? Or a hobby that the participant is really passionate about? What we’re looking to see is ways to connect them with resources that relate to those hobbies. We look to build out social care plans and social safety plans and identify what resources would really work for them.

The research on the impact of social isolation and loneliness suggests that it is similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. An intervention like Friendly Calls – that is safe, that is accessible, that is culturally safe and trauma informed, that has those wrap-around supports, and is connecting into the community – that makes such a significant difference, not just to the person’s life, but also to the community, and even to the healthcare system, if we can be supporting people in this way. It’s incredibly inspiring to hear the impact programs like this have. And not just Friendly Calls, but our community partners are also doing this in a variety of ways in-person on a daily basis. It’s exceptional.

We talk about vitamins we need to take everyday, right? If there was a ‘vitamin of connection’ that we could take everyday, it would have such an incredible preventative impact. The fact that people can reach out just by calling the toll-free number and connecting with the program is incredible. If it is not a good fit, or if it would also help them to connect with other resources, we strive to connect them. We are a doorway into widening that horizon for someone.

TIMA: What is the feedback you have received from Friendly Calls participants?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: On a daily basis, Justine, our Friendly Calls coordinator, hears what a difference it’s making for the participants. People are calling and saying how all week they look forward to the one call they’re getting, so that’s wonderful.

One person described it as “sunlight in my life,” so that was really beautifully said. Another person recently shared how much they love their match, and they look forward to it, and it is the best part of their week. With our feedback survey, we have also heard that overall, 90-plus-percent feel better because of the program, 8 out of 10 feel less lonely, so we know that it is meeting people where they are and filling that really important social health need. Ripple effects from that are that 7 out of 10 feel that they’re better able to cope with stress, and that they feel more resilient to the changes in their life. So, when we look at everything that was going on with the wildfires in Manitoba, having a program that supported them with some resources, touched base with them, let them know that they mattered and someone was going to be connecting in with them was wonderful, and it’s also great to hear that it was helping with their coping strategies, and helping them also feel more comfortable to reach out to resources.

One story to share was a participant who said that when they came to the program, they found that they could go weeks without speaking to someone. Aside from maybe going to the grocery store, to actually talk to someone, and have someone ask the question “how are you” and then actually pause to listen to the answer – they said that they could go weeks without experiencing that. They actually felt that they were losing language, they were feeling less certain. Their world was closing, shrinking around them. Because of the program, they felt more and more comfortable, they were getting used to just having simple conversations more, and that over time, their world grew bigger and bigger, so now they have joined a social group that they meet in-person once a week. They’ve reconnected with hobbies that they hadn’t connected with for many years, they’re reaching out to family and friends more – people are noticing that they’re engaged more. They feel safer and more comfortable to do that. Their language is improving, their memory is improving, and they really look forward to that volunteer connecting with them. There’s that special place, again, that alchemy, that magic happens when we know we matter.

TIMA: What is the feedback you have received from Friendly Calls volunteers?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: When we did the impact surveys, what was really impactful was to also hear that not only were we making a big difference in the lives of the participants, but also in the lives of the volunteers. Just recently, one of our volunteers shared how much they enjoy the participant they are paired with, and how they have so many things in common, and that they feel that they really make a difference at the end of the call, and that really improves their sense of well-being too. So, what we find with Friendly Calls is that, with the volunteers, about half of them say that the program itself makes them feel safer, and it helps them feel less lonely themselves.

In our surveys, 7 out of 10 of our volunteers say that the program helps them feel even more empathetic, and 6 out of 10 say that it actually helps them feel better able to support people that come from a diverse background, or culture, or experience. They are inspiring one another around social habits, getting out more, engaging with community more, but also eating better, sleeping better, and moving more. Definitely there are a lot of positives that come up with the volunteers, and I know the volunteers see a big difference in their sense of meaning as well through Friendly Calls.

“Magic happens when we know we matter.”

TIMA: What else do you want older adults in Manitoba, and nationwide, to know about the Friendly Calls program?

Asha Croggon, Canadian Red Cross: That it is here for them, that it is a phone call away, and that Friendly Calls is really care in action. To have the courage – courage is always rewarded in life – to reach out, and that we will take good care of them. From my perspective, this is really an inspiring and needed service in Manitoba. Yes, the program is national, but I am ever so proud of the work that has happened during the wildfires [in Manitoba] and every day. There is a protective quality to know that someone cares about us, that we matter to someone, and that they’ll be checking in on us.

Take courage – connection is medicine! Engage with [people], whether it be connecting to neighbours, reaching out to a friend, or reaching out to Friendly Calls. To take that ‘vitamin of connection’ everyday, because it really does make a difference in emotional and physical health.

Contact the toll-free Friendly Calls line at: 1-833-979-9779

Visit the website: https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/community-health-services-in-canada/friendly-calls-program

To sign up or refer someone: https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/community-health-services-in-canada/friendly-calls-program/friendly-calls-program-sign-up-form

Interview by: Molly MacPherson-Blair, posted March 2026