Hands On Hartford Inc

HANDS ON HARTFORD, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS, STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY IN HARTFORD BY RESPONDING FAITHFULLY TO PEOPLE IN NEED THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT CHANGE LIVES AND RENEW HUMAN POSSIBILITY

WE PROVIDE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FOLKS WITH SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES (INCLUDING THOSE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS), BOTH ONSITE, AND IN INDIVIDUAL'S HOMES THROUGHOUT THE HARTFORD AREA. WE ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND INDIVIDUALIZED HOUSING STABILIZATION OR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. 36 INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM IN 2021. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE LINKAGE AND REFERRAL CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT A 32-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED INCOME.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES PROGRAM OFFERS REFERRALS, UTILITY ASSISTANCE THROUGH PRIVATE FUNDS AND OPERATION FUEL, SECURITY DEPOSIT AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND REFERRALS, NUTRITION EDUCATION AND HEALTH SCREENINGS TO HARTFORD RESIDENTS. THE MANNA COMMUNITY PANTRY IS A FULL CHOICE SHOPPING MODEL PANTRY, ALLOWING CLIENTS TO CHOOSE FOOD THAT WILL SUIT THEIR FAMILIES' NEEDS AND TASTES, MINIMIZING FOOD WASTE AND MAXIMIZING NUTRITIONAL VALUE. PRE-BAGGED GROCERIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BASED ON CLIENT CHOICE. GROCERIES INCLUDE NON-PERISHABLE STAPLES, ALONG WITH BREAD, MILK, EGGS, FRESH PRODUCE, FROZEN MEAT (INCLUDING HALAL MEAT). FOOD IS LABELED BASED ON THE SWAP (SUPPORTING WELLNESS AT PANTRIES) SYSTEM, RATING IT BASED ON SUGAR, SALT AND SATURATED FAT CONTENT. WE ALSO OFFER BASIC PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS AND DIAPERS. WE SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 518 HOUSEHOLDS EACH MONTH THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN 2021, AND DISTRIBUTED 326,249 POUNDS OF FOOD.

THE COMMUNITY MEALS DAY PROGRAM PROVIDES HOT MEALS, AND VITAL ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND WORKING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, FOUR DAYS AND ONE EVENING (32 HOURS) A WEEK. FOR THOSE WITHOUT JOBS AND HOMES, THESE MEALS ARE LIFE-SAVING. FOR OTHERS WHO WORK BUT STILL LIVE IN POVERTY, OUR MEALS HELP TO STRETCH LIMITED FUNDS. IN ADDITION TO OFFERING BASIC NUTRITIONAL SUSTENANCE, THE COMMUNITY MEALS DAY PROGRAM IS A WELCOMING PLACE WHERE CARING STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS GIVE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY TO THOSE WHO OFTEN LIVE ISOLATED LIVES, AND STAFF TRAINED IN SOCIAL WORK HELPS GUESTS STABILIZE THEIR SITUATIONS AND TAKE STEPS TO MOVE TOWARD PERMANENT HOUSING AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. SOME WHO COME TO THE PROGRAM WANT ONLY A MEAL; FOR OTHERS, IT BECOMES A SPRINGBOARD FOR POSITIVE LIFE CHANGES, INCLUDING ACCESSING RESOURCES TO HELP WITH BENEFITS, HOUSING, AND EMPLOYMENT. IN 2021, WE SERVED 33,689 MEALS TO APPROXIMATELY 2,445 INDIVIDUALS.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTTHE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM ORIENTS, TRAINS, SUPPORTS, AND PLACES VOLUNTEERS WITH ALL OF OUR DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO MANAGES LARGER CUSTOMIZED SERVICE PROJECTS, IMMERSIONS AND "DASH FOR A DIFFERENCE" EVENTS PROVIDING SERVICE LEARNING BOTH AT HANDS ON HARTFORD AND AT NON-PROFITS, SCHOOLS AND PARKS THROUGHOUT HARTFORD. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALSO ENCOMPASSES THE FACES OF HOMELESSNESS SPEAKERS' BUREAU, THROUGH WHICH SPEAKERS SHARE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES. IN 2021, 1277 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED 18,059 HOURS OF SERVICE IN THE HARTFORD AREA.HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAMTHE HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION WITH WHEELER CLINIC AND CONNECTICUT HARM REDUCTION COALITION AIMED AT HELPING TO GET FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING UNSHELTERED INTO PERMANENT HOMES OF THEIR OWN. THE TEAM SEEKS OUT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN TENTS, UNDER BRIDGES, IN WOODED AREAS, ETC., PROVIDES THEM WITH WARM CLOTHING, SNACKS, BEVERAGES, AND WORKS TO FIND THEM A WARM PLACE TO SLEEP INDOORS. THEY CONNECT THEM WITH MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE WHERE NEEDED, AND WORK TO MATCH THEM TO HOUSING PROGRAMS WITH AN ULTIMATE GOAL OF ENSURING THAT EACH PERSON THEY ENCOUNTER FINDS A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME.BACKPACK NUTRITION PROGRAMTHE BACKPACK NUTRITION PROGRAM SERVES HARTFORD CHILDREN WHO RELY ON FREE-OF-CHARGE SCHOOL BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE SEND HOME A BACKPACK CONTAINING TWO BREAKFASTS AND TWO LUNCHES ALONG WITH DRINKS AND SNACKS (INCLUDING SHELF STABLE MILK) EACH FRIDAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE ALSO ADD WEEKLY ENHANCEMENTS, SUCH AS FRESH FRUIT, CANNED CHICKEN, COMMUNITY RESOURCES INFORMATION, NUTRITION RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES. COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THAT NUMBER DROPPED TO 205 CHILDREN BY THE END OF THE YEAR. WE SERVED 333 CHILDREN IN 2021, DISTRIBUTING 6,427 BACKPACKS TO CHILDREN IN EIGHT HARTFORD SCHOOLS.CIHHN (CONNECTICUT INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING NEIGHBORHOODS)THROUGH THE CIHHN PROGRAM, WE SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING AND KEEPING SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDE HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT AND PATIENT NAVIGATION SERVICES TO INCREASE HOUSING STABILITY AND POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. PARTICIPANTS WERE FORMERLY HOMELESS, HAVE COMPLEX MEDICAL ISSUES AND ARE HIGH USERS OF MEDICAID-SUPPORTED HOSPITAL AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SERVICES. 12 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN 2021.55B APARTMENTSTHIRTEEN ONE-BEDROOM AND EFFICIENCY STYLE APARTMENTS AT HANDS ON HARTFORD PROVIDE PERMANENT HOUSING TO 13 INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BECAUSE OF SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES. 24/7 SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR HOUSING SERVICES PROGRAM.ZEZZO HOUSE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICESWE PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 18 HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE MEMBERS WITH SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES (INCLUDING THOSE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS), AT AN OFFSITE RESIDENCE IN HARTFORD.FAXON APARTMENTS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICESWE PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR TENANTS IN 14 APARTMENTS DEDICATED TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSTABILITY AT AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN WEST HARTFORD.PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (PSH)WE PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 24 FOLKS WITH SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES LIVING IN VARIOUS SCATTERED SITE LOCATIONS IN THE HARTFORD AREA.SHARED USE KITCHENHANDS ON HARTFORD'S SHARED USE KITCHEN IS AVAILABLE FOR USE BY QUALIFIED FOOD OPERATORS ON A MEMBERSHIP BASIS ON AN HOURLY BASIS. SMALL CULINARY BUSINESSES JOIN THE SHARED KITCHEN AND BENEFIT FROM A MODERN, RENOVATED, LICENSED KITCHEN FOR PRODUCT PREPARATION AND DEVELOPMENT, COOKING CLASSES, ETC. WE ALSO WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A GROUP OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO RUN THE CULINARY COLLABORATIVE, DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR KITCHEN TO STRENGTHEN AND FURTHER THEIR BUSINESSES. 41 BUSINESSES WERE MEMBERS OF OUR SHARED USE KITCHEN IN 2021.CAFE AT FIFTY-FIVETHE CAFE AT FIFTY-FIVE WAS ON HIATUS DURING 2021 BUT WAS FORMERLY A RESTAURANT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SERVING BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOUR DAYS A WEEK WITH THE HELP OF A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS. IT HAD A PAY-FOR-A-NEIGHBOR OPTION ALLOWING MORE ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE GROUPS TO ENJOY THE CAFE, AND PROCEEDS EARNED SUPPORTED HANDS ON HARTFORD'S BASIC NEEDS SERVICES.COVID-19 PANDEMIC EFFECTS. DESPITE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IN 2021 IN PERSON WITH APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS INCLUDING MASKING, AIR PURIFIERS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, COVID TESTING ONSITE, AND COVID VACCINATIONS ONSITE. MEALS AND GROCERIES WERE OFFERED IN PERSON ON-SITE AND TO GO, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND FACES OF HOMELESSNESS SPEAKING EVENTS WERE LIKEWISE OFFERED AS IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL MODELS.