Bring joy to an isolated elder

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About Us

Since 1972, Little Brothers–Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) has been pairing volunteers with older adults to combat the isolation and loneliness that often comes with aging.  

“Because above all, people need love” was the reason that LBFE founder Armand Marquiset entered the lives of the lonely and isolated in France in 1946. After witnessing the suffering and hardships of older people after World War II, Marquiset began visiting and delivering hot meals with flowers to the elderly poor in Paris.  

What began as the work of one man continues today through tens of thousands of volunteers in nine countries. The Twin Cities chapter of LBFE is the second largest and second oldest of the eight U.S. chapters. Only the Chicago chapter, which opened in 1959, is larger and older. 

LBFE provides services to more than 750 Twin Cities seniors annually, including in-home visits, phone visits, animal-assisted visits, holiday meals, social activities and more. Our services and resources uniquely address the problems of isolated older adults, and make a significant social impact on the communities we serve by:
• Relieving loneliness and isolation among older citizens
• Enhancing well-being and independence
• Enabling elders to age in place
• Empowering intergenerational relationships
• Identifying vulnerability and situations that could be life threatening
• Advocating for senior issues and community awareness

LBFE is nondenominational but maintains the name “Little Brothers” to remind us of the spirit of familial fellowship to our older generations.