Feeling lonely: An epidemic of isolation has expanded area mental health needs

John Herrmann sits for a portrait inside his Greensburg home.

John Herrmann sits for a portrait inside his Greensburg home.

John Herrmann, left, and Sherry Anderson, a fellow volunteer with nonprofit Feeding the Spirit, prepare meals for a June 2020 distribution to those in need. Because of health guidelines during the early months of the covid-19 pandemic, the event was held outdoors, at Greensburg’s St. Clair Park.

Heather McLean, chairperson of the Ray of Hope Westmoreland County Suicide Awareness and Prevention Task Force, speaks at a Unity in the Community rally on Sept. 19, 2021, at St. Clair Park in Greensburg.