Social Prescriptions

Loneliness has become a widespread public health concern. Globally, “one in four adults” [1] reports feeling lonely, and in the United States, nearly “one in five adults” [2] has no close social connections and spends less time with “friends, neighbors, and family.” [3]

Civic life has all but disappeared, as clubs, groups, and organizations have “declined by every conceivable measure,” [4] leaving “more forces that take us away from one another and fewer of the forces that used to bring us together.” [5] As participation drops, social networks shrink, contributing to what the Surgeon General calls an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” [6] The health effects are significant: when people are alone and disconnected, they experience “more stress, more inflammation, more anxiety.” [7]

Three Point Club addresses these challenges by rebuilding community. On the court, communication becomes connection, giving people a place to belong and a team to rely on—creating bonds that extend beyond the club. For us, rebounding is redemption: we fight for every missed shot because we believe in second chances.

Spending time with people we enjoy, while engaged in activities we enjoy, boosts mood and promotes healthier habits. Social capital supports happiness and experts now view connection as a form of care, “preventing stress and anxiety.” [8] Julia Hotz explains, “social prescriptions reconnect us to our sources of wellness. And instead of just addressing ‘What’s the matter with you?’, social prescriptions address ‘What matters to you?’.” [9]

“Basketball has served as a space where connection and imagination replace loneliness and isolation. It’s also where twenty-first-century public health and public policy can find a way to effectively hold court.” —  David Hollander [10]

[1] Renken, Elena. “Loneliness Is Rampant, but Connection Is Healing.” NPR, 2023.

[2] Cox, Daniel A. “Why Men’s Social Circles Are Shrinking.” Survey Center on American Life, 2023.

[3] Case, Anne, and Angus Deaton. Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism. Princeton UP, 2020.

[4] Cox, Daniel A., and Sam Pressler. Disconnected: The Growing Class Divide in American Civic Life. Survey Center on American Life, 2024.

[5] Godoy, Maria. “The Surgeon General Says We Have a Loneliness Epidemic.” NPR, 2023.

[6] U.S. Surgeon General. Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, 2023.

[7] Godoy, Maria. “The Surgeon General Says We Have a Loneliness Epidemic.” NPR, 2023.

[8] Hinckley, Tomas. “America Is Losing Its Social Capital.” The Daily Campus, 5 Oct. 2023.

[9] Chatterjee, Rhitu. “With Social Prescribing, Hanging Out, Movement and Arts Are Doctor's Order.” NPR, 14 July 2025. 

[10] Hollander, David. How Basketball Can Save the World: 13 Principles for Reimagining What’s Possible. Harmony Books, 2023.