Greater Hartford Gives Foundation Awards $630,000 to Support Food Security and Other Basic Human Needs

Supporting Basic Human Needs in the Hartford Region

Emergency Assistance Grants will support 38 local nonprofits

When people think of basic needs, food automatically comes to mind, but so much more is involved. Having limited access to other resources such as personal care items, clothes for all seasons, stable housing, and other necessities can severely affect a person’s mental and emotional states, as well as their physical health and social development. In 2022, the Fundación Greater Hartford Gives recognized this critical disparity among Greater Hartford’s Black and Latine communities, and this year it has provided $630,000 to 38 organizations through its Basic Human Needs (BHN) Emergency Assistance Grant program.

In 2023, East Hartford’s Iglesia Metodista Unida del Nuevo Pacto opened the Friendship Center (Soup Kitchen). The Friendship Center is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:30-3:00 PM, offering a Grab And Go meal along with a variety of other items such as sandwiches, boiled eggs, trail mixes, fresh produce and other healthy items to assist those who come until the next time the Friendship Center is open. New Covenant also offers monthly boxes of non-perishable foods to low-income Seniors age 60 and older, who can sign up to receive these supplemental boxes. To support this work, Greater Hartford Gives awarded New Covenant an $8,700 Basic Human Needs Emergency Assistance grant.

“We put our hearts into supporting the needs of our neighbors, and we are very grateful to the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation,” said Friendship Center manager Pamela Douglas. “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.”

The Emergency Assistance Grant program prioritizes nonprofits that serve neighborhoods and towns in the region with a higher percentage of residents living in poverty, seek to reduce barriers to equitable access to basic needs, and provide direct support to clients. Grants are made using an equity lens, acknowledging that many of these barriers disproportionately impact people of color.

Most of this year’s grant requests were food-related, highlighting the shared goal between the Foundation and on-the-ground organizations of building food security amongst all residents in Greater Hartford. Recognizing the rising need for this type of assistance due to significant cuts in federal support, the Foundation has significantly increased funding available to nonprofit organizations providing basic human needs supports.

These grants support both regional and local agencies in Greater Hartford to stabilize individuals and families experiencing crises and financial stress. These one and two-year grants range from $2,500 to $40,000 and are primarily funded through the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at the Hartford Foundation with additional dollars from other generous donors and the Foundation’s discretionary funding.

The 38 grants awarded include:

• Twenty-Three are primarily for food or food assistance ($475,500).
• Ten are primarily for personal care items ($82,500).
• Three are primarily for emergency financial aid assistance ($42,000).
• Two are for emergency clothing needs ($30,000).

“The Foundation is proud to announce our continued support for programs and services that address the full spectrum of basic human needs,” said Greater Hartford Gives Community Impact Officer Bria Muwanguzi. “Addressing basic needs goes beyond just food and personal care; the latest round of grants recognizes that individuals and families in crisis often have other needs, including rent and/or utility assistance, emergency financial aid, shelter, transportation, and medical aid. The services our nonprofit partners provide help community members across the Foundation’s 29-town region regain stability and dignity in their lives.”

La Fundación Greater Hartford Gives es una fundación comunitaria, un centro para el cambio impulsado por la comunidad. Impulsamos el impacto en todo el Gran Hartford y sus alrededores, creando conexiones, proporcionando financiación y compartiendo conocimientos. Nuestro objetivo es crear una región inclusiva donde todos prosperen. Juntos, con una sólida red de agentes de cambio, identificamos las necesidades más urgentes de nuestros vecinos e invertimos recursos en iniciativas que eliminan las barreras raciales y económicas y mejoran la calidad de vida. En nuestros 100 años de historia, hemos invertido más de 1000 millones de dólares en toda la región. Únase a nosotros para construir un Gran Hartford lleno de oportunidades. Obtenga más información en greathartfordgives.org.