Our Programs

Hands On Hartford’s three direct service programs provide food, housing, and educational support to Hartford’s poorest residents. The Engagement Program connects volunteers to our direct service sites and engages local communities in large scale projects.

Family School Connection, assists families to better connect with their children’s school, enhances parenting skills, addresses basic needs, and connects families to community resources. Learn more about Family School Connection.

MANNA (Meals, Assistance, Neighbors, Nurturing, Advocacy) is a comprehensive basic needs program comprised of our soup kitchen, Community Meals; our food pantry, Community Pantry & Assistance & Advocacy; and our Senior Meals program, Senior Community Café. The MANNA Programs provide nutrition for homeless individuals, emergency food, assistance for families, and weekend meals for seniors. Read more about the MANNA Programs.

The Backpack Nutrition Program is designed to help alleviate the hunger of children in Hartford by providing them with easy to prepare, child-friendly foods to bring home. Children receive a backpack containing 3 - 4 pounds of food each Friday afternoon. They return the backpacks on Monday morning to be cleaned and re-stocked for the following Friday’s distribution. Read more about the Backpack Nutrition Program.

Peter’s Retreat provides safe supportive housing and intensive case management for men and women living with HIV / AIDS who would otherwise be homeless. Peter’s Retreat stabilizes, enriches, and lengthens the lives of people living with HIV / AIDS. Read more about Peter's Retreat.

Community Engagement is the backbone of our direct service sites. Volunteers who serve in any of our programs do so through the Engagement program. The Engagement Program also works with large volunteer groups to facilitate large-scale service projects. Read more about the Engagement Program.

Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is a statewide alliance of concerned individuals who have experienced and continue to experience homelessness. The Speaker’s Bureau is a platform for members to share their firsthand experiences with homelessness and speak out against this continuing unjust reality by organizing speaking engagements hosted by a diverse range of community groups. Read more about the Faces of Homelessness Speaker's Bureau.

Together, our programs and the volunteers that support them strengthen our community, change lives, and renew human possibility. These investments build social capital in Greater Hartford, and beyond, by providing volunteers service learning opportunities through civic engagement and organizational partnerships.