Through community events, business partnerships, media production, speaking engagements, and other various campaigns and activities, we advocate for change by raising awareness of loneliness and the importance of intentional connection.
Advocacy & Awareness
A school and youth program that inspires intentional connection and encourages those that feel lonely. We equip teachers to create an environment where meaningful conversations take place and students learn skills to address loneliness and connect with others.
The connection curriculum
The Ambassador Program equips those who are passionate about starting conversations that matter by reminding them to intentionally connect with their people and inspire & activate their communities.
The ambassador program
By sharing stories, we remind people that they are not alone in the experiences they face and provide opportunities for connection. The I Know Lonely project shares personal stories of loneliness and connection through visual, audio and written content.
The I know lonely project
what we do
At Only7Seconds, diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our DNA. Only7Seconds is a movement for all people. Loneliness does not discriminate and neither do we. We seek to inspire intentional connection with people of all ages, accessibilities, disabilities, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, backgrounds, creeds or religions. To end loneliness, every single person must have a sense of belonging and significance.
we value:
Because you matter.
empowerment
Recognizing the dignity of each person and the innate value they bring through their beliefs, culture, heritage, and abilities.
Respect
courage
EXCELLENCE
joy
courage
Encouraging the authority of each person to recognize and take ownership for sharing their talents and strengths.
empowerment
Respect
EXCELLENCE
joy
Demonstrating a readiness to face the challenges and speak the truth needed to show support and inspire hope
courage
empowerment
Respect
joy
VIEW OUR STRATEGIC PLAN >
“Only7Seconds has responded to the universal human experience of loneliness. Through this program’s deeply needed mission, individuals are both reminded that they are not alone and empowered to address a friend or family’s loneliness themselves. Their message rings true that it only takes 7 seconds to change someone’s day and potentially their life. ”
— Pathlight Behavioral Health & Eating Recovery Centers
our 2021 impact
50k
Intentional connections from our programming, resources, and products
Organic website views from Jan 2021 to Dec 2021
50
States interacting with our mission
31K
“The work Luke and Only7Seconds are doing to address the loneliness epidemic is so important, as loneliness is only getting worse with each generation. Very excited to partner with Only7Seconds and address this problem together!”
— David Siegel, CEO of Meetup
view our 2022 impact report >
3K
Students and staff in school pilot program
9K
T-shirts, yard signs, hope notes, wristbands, and care packages given away in 2022
view our 2021 impact report >
Executive Director
Director of Programs
School & Youth Program Manager
meet our team
luke wall
denise waters
Marcia Mullett
tap to read more
Director of Development
Katlyn Straub
Schools Coordinator
Eric Driessen
meet our board
Donna Lindsay
KERRY MCGHIE
Sheila Hodges
RONAN WALSH
Vincent POwell
Jay kalka
kristin wall
BOARD CHAIR
Development Director at Special Olympics Washington
BOARD VICE CHAIR
Founder of Pura Vida Foundation
BOARD SECRETARY
Business Owner & Real Estate Agent
BOARD TREASURER
Business Executive & Consultant
BOARD MEMBER
Multimedia Director & Producer
BOARD MEMBER
Only7Seconds Founder
& Nonprofit Leader
BOARD MEMBER
Business Executive
WENDY BOWMAN
BOARD MEMBER
Accountant & Bookkeeper
In 2018, Ethan Wall was unexpectedly bedridden with a sickness for nearly a month. During that time, friends and family didn’t reach out and check in on him. It led to loneliness and then depression. After a few weeks, his mom Kristin asked “How long does it take to send the text: ‘I care about you.’ or ‘How are you doing?’? How long does it take to dial a phone number and hit send?”
Years of working with youth in a separate non-profit, Kristin recognized the pain of loneliness through life experiences of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and suicide. Recognizing how seven seconds of intentionality could make a difference was the beginning of Only7Seconds. A simple text, smile, handwritten note, a t-shirt, a sign, or a post-it note are ordinary acts that make an extraordinary difference.
From there, Only7Seconds began working with individuals to encourage them to reach out and let people know they mattered. Community partners and schools began to support the message of Only7Seconds and increase awareness of loneliness and the simplicity of making connections. In 2020, COVID-19 hit the entire world. Isolation, mandatory lock-downs and social distancing pushed loneliness further into the public conversation. Multiple youth suicides in Washington State, where Only7Seconds is located, emphasized the urgent and crucial need for conversation around loneliness and connection.
Only7Seconds rapidly grew into a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Chelan, Washington with a vision of a world without loneliness. We do this through multiple programs and initiatives around the world.
Photo: Kristin Wall and her son, Ethan
Luke has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Whitworth University and Master’s in business from West Texas A&M University. After working in the corporate world, he transitioned to Special Olympics, where he saw firsthand the effects of social isolation in the intellectual disability community, especially during COVID. Luke has worked with nonprofit organizations for over a decade, with experience in management, program development, fundraising, finance, and partnership development. He joined Only7Seconds in January of 2021 as the Executive Director.
meet luke wall
executive director
Denise Waters is an experienced educator who has served students in urban, rural and suburban locations. As a building and district leader for the past decade, her expertise lies in building relationships that enhance social emotional learning. Prior to her career in education, Denise worked as a marketing and communications professional in both high tech and retail industries. Denise brings a passion for the work of ending loneliness as well as a skillset that ensures detailed operational acumen.
meet Denise Waters
School & Youth Program Manager
Coming from a broad range of creative backgrounds, Marcia has always felt drawn to work in the nonprofit sphere. She primarily works in the day-to-day operations of Only7Seconds. Marcia joined the team in Spring 2020 after seeing the growing need for our message during the start of the pandemic. Whether she is designing materials, processing merchandise, managing social media channels, or overseeing program growth, there’s always a running task list and that is where she is the happiest. When she’s not working on the next thing on her list, you’ll find her adding to her podcast cue, or cooking up her latest food obsession in the kitchen.
Meet marcia mullett
Director of programs
With over a decade of both nonprofit consulting and staffing experience, Katlyn brings expertise in fundraising, strategic planning, communications, and development. Although her professional title is “Director of Development,” she prefers “Philanthropy Facilitator.” After discovering philanthropy comes from the Greek words philos (love) and anthropos (humankind), she realized her job was to facilitate the love of humans, a powerful force for good. Katlyn is passionate about making connections, building intentional relationships, and collaborating with others for positive impact in our global community.
Meet Katlyn straub Slone
Director of development
Over the past 37 years in education, Eric has spent served as a jr/high school teacher, elementary principle, and district superintendent. Feeling frustrated with a variety of SEL curriculums (which are good and important, but often short lived), Eric decided to get involved with Only7Seconds. He believes the work Only7Seconds is doing with youth specifically provides a way to be proactive in attacking loneliness while maintaining a conversation about loneliness and connection at a sustainable level for longer periods of time. This is the reason Eric currently volunteers with O7S as the School Coordinator. Eric enjoys the outdoors and being with his high school sweetheart, Liz, their three children, Evynn, Eli, Easton, and his two grandchildren, Remington and Lane.
Meet Eric Driessen
schools coordinator