CITY OF HARTFORD, HARTFORD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE 2022 LOVE YOUR BLOCK GRANTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
The City of Hartford and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving announced this year’s recipients of the Love Your Block grant, awarded to projects proposed by community members to beautify Hartford neighborhoods. This latest round of Love Your Block (LYB) grants committed more than $225,000, funding 21 projects in 15 different neighborhoods.
This year’s LYB grant offered a LYB Resident Grant and a LYB Community Grant. The LYB resident grant continue the work of the original LYB program, awarding grants to resident-led projects of $2,500 or less. Resident groups were also able to team up with non-profit organizations for the LYB Community Grant, which offered up to $25,000 in funding. In total, 9 resident grants and 12 community grants were awarded.
Grant applications were open from Monday, February 14th to Monday, March 7th, and ideas were reviewed by a review panel of Hartford residents. The City and the Hartford Foundation look forward to continuing to build on the successful Love Your Block program in the years ahead.
“We are thrilled to support more than twenty community-led beautification projects, from curbside gardens in the West End to traffic diverters in Southwest to cultural flags and murals on Greenwood and Grace Street,” said Mayor Bronin. “The Love Your Block program gives residents the resources to make the changes they want to see on their own block, in their own neighborhood — whether it’s the small resident projects, where a couple thousand dollars can make the difference, or whether it’s the larger community grants. I’m incredibly grateful to the Hartford Foundation and to all of our partners who make this program possible.”
“The Hartford Foundation is excited to continue our collaboration with the City and many others on the Love Your Block program,” said Hartford Foundation President and CEO Jay Williams. “These 21 projects arise from the ideas and action of residents, Neighborhood Revitalization Zones, faith groups, nonprofits and other stakeholders with deep roots, knowledge, and passion for improving the City’s neighborhoods. We know that neighborhood residents are the closest to the issues and the best to identify areas to target for beautification activities and the Love Your Block grant program is intended to put them in the driver’s seat and empower them to enhance their community.”
“Four years into the Love Your Block initiative, and I am still amazed by the energy, resiliency and creative spirits of our residents,” said Janice Castle, Director of the Office of Community Engagement. “The effects that these projects have had is incredible. Each LYB project brings even more civic engagement and pride every day, and I am deeply grateful to the Hartford Foundation for being partners with us every step of the way. I hope we see more and more projects deep within our neighborhoods, run by our residents, that help brighten as many corners as we can.”
This round of Love Your Block Community Grants includes:
| Organization Name | Project Name | Project Description and Request | Neighborhood(s) Impacted | Amount |
| Bulkeley High School | Bulkeley Fresh Start | Expansion of a project based learning program at both transitional Bulkeley High School campuses in Hartford. | South End | $9,795 |
| Charter Oak Temple Restoration Association, Inc. | Eats of the Street | Public gardening pots and hydroponic units that provide fresh vegetables to the community and employ homeless individuals in tending to the pots. | Asylum Hill, Clay Arsenal, Downtown, Sheldon-Charter Oak, Upper Albany | $14,625 |
| Free Center | Love Your Earth: Connecting with South Hartford Greenspace | Expansion of the community garden, creation of edible landscaping and South Hartford Nature Trail mapping and signage, as well as accompanying community programming. | Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Frog Hollow, South End, South Green, South Meadows, Southwest | $8,500 |
| Hartford Health Initiative, Inc. | Marcus Garvey Park Project | Expansion of beautification efforts at Marcus Garvey Park. | Blue Hills | $19,374 |
| Hartford Public Schools/ City of Hartford | Carrie Saxon Perry Mural at SAND School | Clean up activities, installation of a mural on the school building and participation of students and artists through a learning project about Carrie Saxon Perry and an unveiling ceremony. | Clay Arsenal | $21,890 |
| Keney Park Sustainability Project Inc.. | Vacant Lot Conversion | Planning, community engagement and piloting of a project to convert vacant lots into community gardens in partnership with the Hartford Land Bank. | Blue Hills, Northeast | $25,000 |
| KNOX, Inc.
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Community Garden Beautification Project | Increased engagement, cleaning, greening and beautifying of Cabot, Enfield, and Good Shepherd community gardens as well as to fulfill contracts with six Love Your Block grantees. | Northeast, Sheldon-Charter Oak, Upper Albany | $24,580 |
| Mount Bethel Church of God EHT, Inc. | 236 Resuscitation Project | Addressing blight on church grounds after storm damage. Funding would support removal of debris, broken fencing, stumps, and grading of the area. | Northeast | $10,000 |
| Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford, Inc. | Zion Street Mural | Installation of a mural on Zion Street near the Zion Hill Cemetery co-designed with a local artist and residents. | Frog Hollow | $25,000 |
| Real Art Ways, Inc. | Park Art Food Garden | Installation of new garden beds to expand the food garden project in George Day Park. | Parkville | $9,000 |
| Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance, Inc. (SINA) | Nuestra Historia | Organization of neighborhood clean ups and events, installation of a large mural honoring neighborhood heroes, regranting to Love Your Block resident grantees and administration. | Frog Hollow | $37,210 |
| The iQuilt Partnership | Capitol Avenue Creative Placemaking | Expansion of Capitol Avenue placemaking efforts. | Frog Hollow | $22,750 |
This round of $2,500 Love Your Block Resident Grants being administered by Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (SINA) and Knox Inc. includes: