Greater Hartford Foundation Awards $630K To 38 Nonprofits For Basic Needs

HARTFORD, CT — Thirty-eight Greater Hartford nonprofits are receiving a combined $630,000 to help residents with food, clothing, personal care products and other basic needs.

The Greater Hartford Gives Foundation awarded the funding through its Basic Human Needs Emergency Assistance Grant program.

The initiative prioritizes organizations serving communities with higher percentages of residents living in poverty and programs working to reduce barriers to necessities.

Food assistance represents the largest share of the funding. Twenty-three grants totaling $475,500 primarily support food or food assistance, while 10 grants totaling $82,500 focus on personal care products. Three grants totaling $42,000 support emergency financial assistance, and two totaling $30,000 address emergency clothing needs.

The grants range from $2,500 to $40,000 and cover one- or two-year periods.

Among the recipients is New Covenant United Methodist Church in East Hartford, which received $8,700 for its Friendship Center and senior food box program.

The church's Friendship Center provides grab-and-go meals three days a week as well as other food, while eligible low-income seniors can receive monthly boxes of nonperishable food.

"We put our hearts into supporting the needs of our neighbors, and we are very grateful to the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation," Friendship Center Manager Pamela Douglas said. "This grant will allow us to strengthen our offerings through increased access to fresh healthy foods, and the supplies and services we need to better serve our community."

Nonprofits Receiving Grants

The 38 recipients are:

• 4-CT Corp.— $15,000 for flexible cash assistance for violence prevention and intervention.
• Advancing Connecticut Together, Inc. — $15,000 for nutritional support services for HIV-positive clients.
• American Red Cross- CT— $15,000 for disaster response in communities served by Greater Hartford Gives.
• Cathedral Food Pantry— $10,000 for its food pantry and clothes bank.
• Community Renewal Team — $20,000 for food assistance at the McKinney Shelter and East Hartford Family Shelter.
• Community Solutions, Inc. — $20,000 for basic-needs assistance for returning citizens.
• Covenant to Care for Children, Inc. — $10,000 for essential goods for children.
• Diaper Bank of Connecticut— $20,000 to increase diaper distribution.
• Eastern Diocese PNCC - St. John the Baptist Parish — $20,000 for its Blessing Bags, Family Assistance & Community Hall Program.
• Ellington Farmers Market, Inc.— $30,000 for Farmers Feeding Families.
• Fishers of Men Ministries— $30,000 for basic human needs assistance.
• Friend To Friend, Inc.— $8,300 for food insecurity assistance.
• Gentle Love Diaper Pantry— $10,000 for its East of the River Diaper Program.
• Gifts of Love, Inc. — $40,000 for its Basic Human Needs Program.
• Grace Episcopal Church, Hartford CT— $40,000 for its food pantry.
• Healing Meals Foundation Corporation— $5,000 for meals for people experiencing a health crisis.
• Horace Bushnell Children's Food Pantry — $40,000 to support food access for children and families.
• House of Bread, Inc.— $40,000 for food insecurity assistance.
• International Tabernacle of Prayer— $8,000 for its Essential Goods & Dignity Program.
• Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford, Inc. — $20,000 for the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry.
• Living Word Empowerment Ministries — $5,000 for its We Care Outreach program.
• Loaves & Fishes Ministries, Inc.— $40,000 for its soup kitchen program.
• Manchester Area Conference of Churches, Inc.— $40,000 for community food services.
• Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford — $12,000 for its TV-365 Basic Needs program.
• Missions of Mercy and Grace, Inc. — $2,500 for its Covered in Compassion program.
• New Covenant United Methodist Church — $8,700 for the Friendship Center and senior food boxes.
• New Dimension Christian Center, Inc. — $7,500 for its Heartbeat program.
• No Animal Left Unfed, Inc. — $4,000 for its Our Neighbors Fund-Lifeline Program.
• North End Little Pantries — $15,000 for its Farm to Families program.
• Rosal Cares — $7,000 for its Supplies Made Simple Program.
• The Brooks Token, Inc. — $15,000 for Operation Token 2026.
• The Health Collective — $6,000 for its Personal Care and Health Access Program.
• The Oliver-Benoit Foundation Co. — $7,000 for toiletries and other essentials for people experiencing homelessness.
• Town of West Hartford— $10,000 for the West Hartford Food Pantry.
• University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc.— $7,000 for Greater Hartford Husky Harvest Food Pantries.
• Vernon Community Network — $10,000 for its Community Chest Expansion.
• Warburton Community Church — $7,500 for its food pantry.
• YACO International, Inc. — $10,000 for its 2026 emergency assistance program.

The foundation said increased demand for food assistance comes as organizations contend with reductions in federal support.

Most applications in this grant round were related to food needs.

"The Foundation is proud to announce our continued support for programs and services that address the full spectrum of basic human needs," Greater Hartford Gives Community Impact Officer Bria Muwanguzi said.

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