Hartford Foundation Awards More Than $400,000 to Support Basic Human Needs Assistance

Emergency Assistance Grants will support 36 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 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 Hartford Foundation for Public Giving recognized this critical disparity among Greater Hartford’s Black and Latine communities, and this year it has provided more than $400,000 to 36 organizations for its Basic Human Needs (BHN) Emergency Assistance grant.  

The 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.  

Gentle Love Connections, a Manchester-based organization with a focus on babies and toddlers, is one of the 36 organizations to receive a BHN Emergency Assistance grant. Operating as a diaper pantry, the nonprofit provides baby necessities to families who cannot afford the nearly $100 monthly cost per child.  In 2020, then-10th grader Kyle Zingler established Gentle Love Connections; since that time, the organization has distributed more than 600,000 diapers to marginalized and low-income families with the help of several community partners. The nonprofit also distributes car seats and “Get Out and Play Kits,” which contain sunscreen, bug spray, a first aid kit, an activity booklet, and other items that promote safe engagement with the outdoors. Thanks to the $10,000 BHN grant from the Foundation, Gentle Love Connections can deepen its services and impact in their existing region.   

“This grant will support our East of the River Diaper Program, which provides more than 400 children every month in the Manchester, East Hartford, Vernon and South Windsor communities with a supply of 50 diapers,” says Zingler. 

 As the young founder nears the end of his undergraduate studies at Fordham University, the future and sustainability of the organization is one of his top priorities.   

“I see Gentle Love Connections with its own space, a full-time executive director and an annual budget of around $1.2 million,” said Zingler. “I also see us having our own van to do mobile outreach and attend a greater number of community events. I hope to build-up the organization and pass the torch to a competent leader.”

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.  

With meals and groceries as the top priority, since 1972, the Horace Bushnell Children's Food Pantry continues working tirelessly to end food insecurity among Hartford area residents.

“Groceries have become more expensive, and for many families, it is a daily struggle to afford necessities,” said Horace Bushnell’s executive director LisaMarie Sykes. “Many neighbors, classmates and coworkers do not have reliable access to enough food. Without the resources we provide, many would go hungry. We are not just handing out food, we are offering hope, stability, and dignity to people in crisis. This grant will help to ensure that we can help to build a stronger community where no one is left behind.”

These grants support both regional and local agencies in Greater Hartford to stabilize individuals and families experiencing crises and financial stress. Grants range from $3,000 to $30,000 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 36 grants awarded include:   

• Twenty-Three are primarily for food or food assistance ($275,000).  
• Five are primarily for emergency financial aid assistance ($60,000).  
• Three are primarily for personal care items ($28,000).  
• Two are for organizations to provide emergency case management ($30,000).  
• Three are for emergency clothing needs ($17,500).  

"The Foundation is proud to announce our continued support for programs and services that address the full spectrum of basic human needs,” expressed Hartford Foundation 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 case management, rent and/or utility assistance, emergency 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 2025 Basic Human Needs Grants:

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding towns. Through partnerships, the Foundation seeks to strengthen communities in Greater Hartford by putting philanthropy in action to dismantle structural racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $1 billion since its founding in 1925. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.