Months later, she ran into a fellow “Ethel,” as the women in the group call themselves, while shopping. The woman recognized Armstrong from her profile picture, and they got to talking. The next thing she knew they were meeting for dinner.

Now they’re part of a larger group of women in central Tennessee who meet for lunch and other activities.

“These are like total strangers on a Facebook page, and now we’re friends,” Armstrong says. “It’s been phenomenal.”

More than 100 similar groups have since formed in cities around the country. Known as The Ethel Gathering Groups, they are creating friendships out of virtual connections made as part of The Ethel Circle Facebook community.

AARP launched the closed Facebook group in 2022 for readers of our free weekly e-newsletter The Ethel (named for AARP founder Ethel Percy Andrus), which targets women 60 and older. “The Circle aims to be a supportive space where older women can talk about the joys and challenges of growing older,” says Shelley Emling, AARP executive editor of specialized content.

“In the past, I’ve been a foreign correspondent. I’ve written books. But never have I felt as rewarded and excited as I have as moderator of The Ethel Circle,” Emling adds.

Many members of the group are lonely. Almost all are looking to make connections.

“Somebody would say, ‘Hey, I live in Cleveland. Does anybody else live in Cleveland? Would you like to grab lunch sometime or coffee?’ ” Emling says. “When we started noticing that members were meeting up organically, we created Facebook groups from which they could organize local events.”

So AARP launched the first The Ethel Gathering Groups in December 2023 as part of the organization’s work to combat loneliness and social isolation, which can bring a higher risk of physical and mental health ailments. “AARP is committed to encouraging social connection because of its critical impact on happiness and long-term health,” says Heather Nawrocki, AARP’s vice president of fun and fulfillment.

Within a few months, The Ethel Gathering Groups had launched in dozens of states. Organizers are AARP volunteers who receive training on how to moderate a group and grow an online community.

Armstrong, who leads the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, group, says her best friends live out of state, so it’s been rewarding getting to know women nearby she can call when she’s feeling lonely or bored.

Emling has been amazed at how much the Ethels have “been there for each other.” She says one woman posted recently about celebrating her 70th birthday alone, and within 10 minutes, there were about 700 comments on the post.

“Many of them said, ‘What city do you live in? I’d be happy to come by with a card for you or a cupcake,’ ” Emling says. “It’s beautiful to see.”