About Us
Who We Are
The Nature Connection is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving well-being, strengthening social connection, and deepening the human–nature relationship for people of all ages and abilities.
Since 1983, we’ve brought person-centered, accessible nature experiences to communities that have limited or no access to the natural world. Our programs are designed to meet people where they are—whether that’s a memory care unit, a group home, a therapeutic school, or a day center—ensuring that nature remains within reach for everyone.
Vision
To be a leader in nature-based programming and to strive for a world in which the therapeutic and educational benefits of nature are accessible to all, regardless of location, personal abilities, or socioeconomic status.
To improve the well-being of individuals and communities through the therapeutic use of nature.
Mission
Our Approach
We believe that meaningful engagement with nature should be accessible, comforting, and responsive to each person’s needs; and ideally, available on an ongoing basis year round.
Our staff bring professional expertise in education, human services, therapeutic programming, and animal care, allowing us to create experiences that are both joyful and grounded in best practices.
Our approach weaves together:
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Trauma-informed care — creating predictability, offering choice, and fostering emotional safety
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Dementia-friendly practices — supporting sensory engagement, presence, and connection
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Person-centered values — honoring each individual’s pace, preferences, and strengths
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Strengths-based engagement — encouraging curiosity, autonomy, and confidence
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Hands-on nature experiences — designed for accessibility, comfort, and wonder.
No two programs look exactly alike—each one is shaped in the moment, responsive to the people in front of us.
We connect people with nature's capacity to inspire, restore, and create joy.
Our programs create moments of meaningful engagement and expand the boundaries of our participants’ lives. Nature does this because it awakens something universal in us—an instinctive sense of wonder, calm, and connection. The textures of bark, the rhythm of bird song, or the steady presence of an animal all invite people to slow down and be present.
In these moments, participants often rediscover parts of themselves that routine and hardship can overshadow: curiosity, creativity, humor, and resilience. By meeting people where they are and offering direct experiences with the natural world, we open pathways for joy and connection that ripple outward into other parts of their lives.
Who We Serve
We bring nature-based experiences to:
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Memory care units & assisted living
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Adult day health centers & long-term care
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Group homes & day habilitation programs
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Therapeutic schools & youth residential programs
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Low-income housing communities
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After-school & summer camp programs
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Private groups and families seeking nature connection
Our participants include elders experiencing isolation, adults with disabilities, youth navigating trauma or transition, and individuals who simply thrive when offered a supportive, sensory-rich environment.
Why Our Work Matters
Loneliness is a growing concern in Massachusetts.
Nearly one third of older adults in MA live alone, and long-term care residents experience high rates of isolation. National research shows loneliness increases risk of dementia by up to 50%.
Nature access is not equitable across the Commonwealth.
Many elders, adults with disabilities, and residents of group homes face significant barriers to safe, supported nature experiences; and urban and low-income communities, including Lawrence and Lowell, have the lowest greenspace access in the state.
Youth in therapeutic and high-stress environments have limited opportunities for meaningful nature connection.
Students in special education, therapeutic schools, or low-income districts often go months without hands-on nature experiences, despite strong evidence that nature promotes focus, emotional regulation, and social connection.
Here, in Massachusetts, many people—especially those in care settings—have limited access to greenspace or safe outdoor environments. Rising loneliness, tight activity budgets, and staffing constraints make it difficult for program sites to offer consistent, high-quality engagement. Especially when live plants and animals are involved.
We bridge that gap.
We bring calming, hands-on, accessible nature experiences directly into the settings where people live, learn, and receive care—ensuring that cost, mobility, weather, or circumstance never stand in the way of connection.
Our programs consistently improve participants’ well-being and help them feel more connected to themselves, to others, and to the natural world.
From post-program surveys:
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95%
feel more connected to nature.
feel more connected to others.
89%
of staff see participants taking healthy, confidence-building risks.
100%
“The children in our school have serious neurologic and emotional disabilities, and each [child] experiences the world in an individual and unique way. The sensitive support and attention your staff provides allows for an unfolding of curiosity and awareness of our natural surroundings… Your work enhances and complements our work.”
Community Therapeutic Day School
Nancy Fuller – Executive Director
Our History
Founded in 1983, The Nature Connection began with a simple idea: everyone deserves access to the benefits of engaging with nature.
Over the decades, we’ve grown from small, volunteer-run programs to a statewide leader in bringing accessible, trauma-informed nature experiences to communities that have historically been overlooked or underserved.
