Our Story

Two people taking a selfie outside, with a group of people in the background at a social gathering.
Black background with four white star shapes

Isabella Solano, founder of Herralink, started volunteering at Gainesville Health & Rehab after learning that many of the older adults rarely had visitors.

Before long, her closest friends were in their 80s, and she fell in love with the community that became the friend group she never had.

Four young women wearing green hats forming a heart shape with their arms, smiling and posing together.
Abstract black and white star-like design with four symmetrical points.

Around the same time, she met Youna and Aadhya, freshmen at Centreville High School looking for service hours. Like Isabella, what started as volunteering quickly became the most meaningful friendships of their lives.

They knew other students needed this kind of friendship, so they built a website overnight, sent out a Google Form, crossed their fingers, and hoped people would sign up.

We created this program because it changed our life, and we hope it can change yours, too.

Green recycled paper with the message 'Please recycle' and a recycling symbol.

We held our first event with a small group of students from Centreville High School’s robotics team. From there, we began hosting weekly events and field trips, expanding across Fairfax County.

Yellow rays emanating from a central point

October 14, 2023 - Herralink hosted its 1st event at Gainesville Health & Rehab.

A diverse group of young people, some wearing white T-shirts with a green infinity symbol and a logo, are posing for a photo at a celebration event with teal and blue balloon decorations in the background. There is one person in a wheelchair in the front center, and the group is standing on a wooden floor.
An elderly woman with gray hair wearing glasses and a Maine sweatshirt sitting next to a young man with red hair in a gray hoodie with a name tag that says 'Parker'. They are sitting indoors near a window with trees outside, smiling at the camera.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Middle School visits The View Alexandria once a month

A young woman and an older woman standing close together, smiling in a hallway with beige walls and carpeted floor.

Students from Alexandria City High School visited The View Alexandria to do an interview & resume workshop

A purple rectangular banner with rounded corners.
Group of ten young women holding a banner with green handprints and the word 'HERALINK' in the center.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes started the first Herralink club! They visit our partner locations every month

A large group of diverse people, including children, teenagers, and adults, gathered in a gymnasium with a colorful flower and butterfly mural in the background. Many are smiling, and some are in wheelchairs. There are tables with pink tablecloths and decorations on the side.

Herralink hosts an annual intergenerational prom at The Jim Scott Community Center!

Group of elderly individuals, some in wheelchairs, gathered indoors for a group photo, with a person in the foreground taking a selfie, in a well-lit, modern building with large windows and red carpet.

Herralink took residents from Potomac Falls Health & Rehab to the Kennedy Center for a ballet performance.

Four women, two in wheelchairs and two standing, pose in front of the White House during a rainy day. The women appear to be part of a visit or gathering, with a white picket fence behind them and a crowd of people in the background.

Herralink went to the White House! In 2024 we invited residents to the Easter Egg Hunt hosted by the White House.

Group of diverse people, including young volunteers and elderly residents, together in a community center or activity room, smiling and posing for a photo.

Herralink partnered with Fairfax County’s “Shape the Future of Aging” to create an anti-ageism campaign.

Three women sitting around a table playing bingo, with a younger woman on each side of an elderly woman in a beige cardigan. They are smiling at the camera, and the table has bingo cards with red and blue markers.

By August 2024, we had volunteers from all across Northern Virginia—

From Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Alexandria, Falls Church, Arlington, and Washington D.C.

Two yellow star shapes on a black background.

We’ve created friendships between young and older adults across 15 senior communities

Map of Virginia with numbered markers indicating different cities, including Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William. 
Potomac Falls Health & Rehab

1

A woman holding a baby outdoors on a grassy field, with trees in the background.
A small black puppy sitting on a concrete surface in front of a metal gate.

2

Scene with a person riding a bicycle on a city street, with cars and buildings in the background.

3

A silver trowel with a wooden handle resting on a patch of grass with large, green leaves. 
Dulles Health and Rehab

Gainesville Health & Rehab

4

A close-up of a cluster of fried chicken wings on a plate.

Manassas Health & Rehab

5

A serene lake surrounded by autumn trees with orange and yellow leaves, reflecting on the water's surface.

Hunter Woods Fellowship

Arden Courts ProMedica

6

A person sitting on a stone bench in front of a brick archway, with green trees and grass in the background.

7

A montage of multiple superhero comic book covers, featuring characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, arranged in a colorful collage.

8

A clear glass bottle filled with a golden yellow liquid, placed on a white surface.

Spring Hill Community Village

Kensington Falls Church

Insight Memory Care Center

9

Empty black picture or screen with no visible objects.

10

A person sitting at a desk working on a laptop, with a cup and a notebook nearby.

Sunrise of Falls Church

Goodwin Living Baileys Crossroads

11

A dilapidated building with graffiti on the walls and broken windows.

12

A tropical scene featuring a bamboo hut, palm trees, and a sandy beach with the ocean in the background.

13

Empty orange shopping basket on a wooden surface.

August Healthcare at Iliff

Goodwin Living Alexandria

14

A busy street scene with pedestrians, cars, and storefronts on a city sidewalk.

The View Alexandria

15

Forest Hills of D.C.

A green rectangular banner with a tail and a small protrusion on top, resembling a speech bubble.

We built a team of high school students dedicated to building a better, more connected world.

Youna & Aadhya became interns in 2025, and are now part-time employees continuing to build Herralink.

Yellow lines or streaks against a dark background.
Two women standing outdoors in front of a blue sign that reads "Goodwin House Alexandria 480" with arrows pointing to the left and right labeled "Deliveries" and "Main Entrance". One woman on the left is of Asian descent, smiling, wearing a green shirt, black pants, and a name tag. The woman on the right has a darker complexion, holding a keycard, wearing a blue and white striped tank top, gray pants, and a bracelet.
Two yellow star-shaped sparkles on a black background.
News article headline about Goodwin Living investing in Herrlink, an organization connecting high school students with senior living residents. Contains a photo of Rob Lieberich, President and CEO of Goodwin Living, with a quote about the importance of intergenerational connections.

Herralink was acquired by Goodwin Living in April 2025. Through their support, we’ll expand our program beyond the DMV.

Read more about Goodwin Livings investment here.