Greater Hartford Gives Foundation Awards $630,000 to Support Basic Human Needs Assistance
Emergency Assistance Grants will support 38 Greater Hartford 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 food, 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 Greater Hartford Gives Foundation 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 New Covenant United Methodist Church 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."
Hartford Foundation First Round of 2026 Basic Human Needs Grants:
| Organization Name | Project Name | Primary Purpose | Grant Length | Grant Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-CT Corp | Flexible Cash Assistance for Violence Prevention & Intervention | Emergency financial assistance (e.g., rent/mortgage/utility, childcare, bus fare/tokens, gas money) | 1 year | $15,000 |
| Advancing Connecticut Together, Inc. | Nutritional Support Services for HIV+ Clients at Connections Wellness Center, Hartford | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $15,000 |
| American Red Cross- CT | Disaster Response in the towns served by Greater Hartford Gives | Emergency financial assistance (e.g., rent/mortgage/utility, childcare, bus fare/tokens, gas money) | 1 year | $15,000 |
| Cathedral Food Pantry | Cathedral Food Pantry and Clothes Bank | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $10,000 |
| Community Renewal Team | Food Assistance- McKinney Shelter & East Hartford Family Shelter | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $20,000 |
| Community Solutions, Inc. | Basic Needs Assistance for Returning Citizens in the Greater Hartford Area | Emergency clothing needs (e.g., shoes, school uniforms, coats) | 1 year | $20,000 |
| Covenant to Care for Children, Inc. | Basic Essential Goods for Children | Emergency clothing needs (e.g., shoes, school uniforms, coats) | 1 year | $10,000 |
| Diaper Bank of Connecticut | Increased Diaper Distribution | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $20,000 |
| Eastern Diocese PNCC - St. John the Baptist Parish | Blessing Bags, Family Assistance & Community Hall Program | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $20,000 |
| Ellington Farmers Market, Inc. | Farmers Feeding Families | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $30,000 |
| Fishers of Men Ministries | Give and It Will Be Given - Basic Human Needs | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $30,000 |
| Friend To Friend, Inc. | Food Insecurity Grant for Friend to Friend 2026 | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $8,300 |
| Gentle Love Diaper Pantry | East of the River Diaper Program | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $10,000 |
| Gifts of Love, Inc. | Gifts of Love Basic Human Needs Program | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| Grace Episcopal Church, Hartford CT | Grace Episcopal Church Food Pantry | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| Healing Meals Foundation Corporation | Nourishing Meals During a Health Crisis | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $5,000 |
| Horace Bushnell Children's Food Pantry | Sustaining Food Access for Children and Families | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| House of Bread, Inc. | Addressing Food Insecurity One Meal at a Time | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| International Tabernacle of Prayer | Essential Goods & Dignity Program | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $8,000 |
| Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford, Inc. | Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $20,000 |
| Living Word Empowerment Ministries | LWEM We Care Outreach | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $5,000 |
| Loaves & Fishes Ministries, Inc. | Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen Program | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| Manchester Area Conference of Churches, Inc. | Community Food Service | Food or food assistance | 2 years | $40,000 |
| Metropolitan Community Church of Hartford | TV-365 Basic Needs | Emergency financial assistance (e.g., rent/mortgage/utility, childcare, bus fare/tokens, gas money) | 1 year | $12,000 |
| Missions of Mercy and Grace, Inc. | Covered in Compassion | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $2,500 |
| New Covenant United Methodist Church | Friendship Center and Seniors' Food Boxes | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $8,700 |
| New Dimension Christian Center, Inc. | Heartbeat (Latido del Corazón) | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $7,500 |
| No Animal Left Unfed, Inc. | Our Neighbors Fund - Lifeline Program | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $4,000 |
| North End Little Pantries | Farm to families | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $15,000 |
| Rosal Cares | Supplies Made Simple Program | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $7,000 |
| The Brooks Token, Inc. | Operation Token 2026 | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $15,000 |
| The Health Collective | Personal Care and Health Access Program | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $6,000 |
| The Oliver-Benoit Foundation Co. | Toiletry kits and other essentials for the homeless, and Winter coats during the winter months. | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $7,000 |
| Town of West Hartford | West Hartford Food Pantry | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $10,000 |
| University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. | Greater Hartford Husky Harvest Food Pantries | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $7,000 |
| Vernon Community Network | Community Chest Expansion | Personal care items (e.g., deodorant, diapers, sanitary products) | 1 year | $10,000 |
| Warburton Community Church | The Warburton Church Food Pantry. | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $7,500 |
| YACO International, Inc. | YACO International Emergency Assistance Program 2026 | Food or food assistance | 1 year | $10,000 |
Greater Hartford Gives Foundation is a community foundation, a hub for community-driven change. We fuel impact throughout Greater Hartford and beyond by making connections, providing funding, and sharing knowledge. Our goal is to create an inclusive region where everyone prospers. Together, with a powerful network of changemakers, we identify our neighbors’ most pressing needs and invest resources in initiatives that dismantle racial and economic barriers and improve quality of life. In our 100-year history, we have invested more than $1 billion throughout the region. Join us in building a Greater Hartford full of opportunity. Learn more at greaterhartfordgives.org.