NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — Loneliness and isolation have created a health crisis causing a lower quality of life for millions of people in communities all across America. In rural small towns, Betterlife aims to provide new opportunities to build a sense of belonging in communities by creating Betterlife Connect. Chris Campbell, the CEO and president of Betterlifem says that increasing the quality of life for people in these communities is their main priority with this program. "We have made it a priority to meet the needs in our communities and we formed the Connect service for BetterLife really to meet one of the most pressing needs which is social isolation," Campbell said. According to Health Affairs, loneliness and social disconnection have a mortality impact similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, which is why Campbell says this program is focusing on bringing that connection back to these communities. Application deadline one week away for Department of Commerce program "There's an epidemic in this country where people are feeling disconnected and they don't have a sense of belonging. We all often say that Betterlife means belonging, when we are engaging in our communities we often bring everyone together through events whether it's a parade or a cornhole contest, or a folk music concert we love being a community center and a hub," said Campbell. By looking at their life insurance experience, Campbell says that these issues have become very eye-opening to them. "We've seen that what we'll call deaths of despair, suicide, alcoholism, substance abuse have nearly tripled in the last seven years. People are feeling alone and disconnected there's a real consequence to it," Campbell added. Betterlife Connect provides an online portal to chat and stay informed about area events, virtual events with prizes, as well as opportunities to connect online with other members. It also provides a wellness app where members can set health and wellness goals while receiving personalized coaching and interactive resources. "We're hoping that this program will boost exposure and attendance at our events and hopefully, we are hoping that people will build a longer-term relationship with BetterLife and have an opportunity to provide Life Insurance and other services to protect their families' financial futures," Campbell said. Here is a link to BetterLife's Connect Program: https://connect.betterlifeins.com/ Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW