Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Awards $150,000 Grant to The Open Hearth Social Venture

January 2007

The Open Hearth, a 123-year-old Hartford-based nonprofit provider of shelter and recovery counseling for men, was awarded a $150,000 grant for its Wood Products venture by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. 

The Wood Products business, established in 1924, processes 2,200 cords of raw timber from New England suppliers into firewood and sells to residential and commercial customers throughout Greater Hartford.  Individuals in The Open Hearth’s transitional living program, who are recovering from homelessness, addiction and incarceration, are assigned to work voluntarily in the business during their residency, ranging from three to twelve months.  The 14-acre facility, located at 7 Maxim Road near Brainard Airport in Hartford, is leased for $1 a year to The Open Hearth by the landowner, Connecticut Light and Power. 

The grant by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving will enable The Open Hearth to purchase new wood processing equipment, delivery truck, mobile office and landscaping materials.  The grant will also underwrite accredited training for staff and program participants in commercial driving, equipment operations and safety procedures. 

“We’re very pleased by this investment from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving,” said Ron Torok, LCSW, Executive Director of The Open Hearth.  “The Wood Products business is one vehicle for us to accomplish our ambitious mission to transform the lives of men and their families, and the Foundation’s support will continue to provide residents with work experience and job skills in a real business.”  Torok indicated the business employs four during its peak season and generates $300,000 in revenue annually.

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Capitol Region.  For over 80 years, it has built successful partnerships with donors and nonprofits to enhance the quality of life for people in the community.  With assets of more than $700 million, the Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families and awarded about $24 million in grants last year to a broad range of nonprofit organizations.  For more information about the Foundation, visit www.hfpg.org.

The Open Hearth has provided shelter and recovery counseling in Greater Hartford since 1884 and is the oldest continuously operating facility of its kind on the East Coast.  The agency, located at 437 Sheldon Street in Hartford, annually serves 600 men in recovery from homelessness, addiction and incarceration through its shelter, transitional living and homeownership programs.  The agency employs 36 staff and is governed by a 20-member board of trustees.  For more information, visit www.theopenhearth.org.