Loaves and Fishes Ministries, Inc.
Assistance for families in Hartford, CT
Hunger is always with us
Loaves and Fishes Ministries directly impacts families throughout the Asylum Hill neighborhood and in greater Hartford who eat in our soup kitchen and then use our related programs to move beyond immediate crisis needs. Recent national studies all find that more Americans continue to be hungry than ever before, despite concerted efforts on the part of non-profits and volunteers working together. Poor families repeatedly run short of food, and far too many families suffer from “very low food security”–which means they have to skip meals or not eat for a day due to lack of funds. In the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford, this “very low food security” is what we address, day in and day out, at Loaves and Fishes Ministries. No matter how hard we work, hunger is always with us, but we believe we can do something to alleviate the problem for motivated clients when we have partners who care.
Serving the Asylum Hill neighborhood
Loaves and Fishes Ministries was founded in 1982 and has been serving residents of the Asylum Hill neighborhood for almost 35 years as an independent non-profit organization intent on change. Clients report their lives have been changed because they come to the soup kitchen hungry and leave having eaten what is often their only hot meal of the day. We served more than 35,000 meals annually in our soup kitchen.
A daily, full hot meal
We have never had to turn away a client due to lack of food or inability to provide take home extras. All who come to eat at Loaves and Fishes and abide by our organization’s rules are served, and gain the benefit of a daily, full hot meal and take home extras.
Job Training
Our clients are 85% minority, and 40% percent female. Single mothers and families continue to be a large portion of our population. Homeless figures remain difficult to pin down, for the reason that many clients stay with friends or relatives on a rotating basis but have no permanent home. The percentage of those we see in our soup kitchen who are working poor remains at approximately 33%; these individuals are now looking for help with food and are also making use of our job training program for help with job skills and employment.
Recent update
August 25, 2025
Happy Fall! This week the weather is only just beginning to feel cooler…
September always seems to me like the true start of the new year, with school starting, cooler weather arriving, and the pace of things returning to normal after summer vacations. In the dining room we will continue to see new faces along with those we know well. Children may have returned to school but adults are still in real need. In fact, August marked a rise in numbers eating here. We expect that trend may continue as benefits are cut and food prices continue to go up.
I’m happy to attach the September calendar (see below) for our volunteer groups at Loaves & Fishes. You may notice that we continue to have a full complement of volunteer groups serving with only a few days noted as “Meals to Go,” for which we are very grateful. We are glad to have you all here. And this is particularly helpful since – as many of you have remarked when you’ve been serving – we are seeing many, many diners each day at Loaves & Fishes. Your patience, your good humor and your skill in the dining room is very appreciated!
This fall we were very happy to be able to offer our backpack program to client families thanks to the generosity of the Town & County Club, spearheaded by their volunteer team. We had to suspend this important program during Covid but were able to truly get it started again this year. It is so good to see the smiles on the faces of parents and children alike as they head home with backpacks stuffed with supplies for this school year! Let’s hope we have contributed to a successful start to their learning this fall.
Note: as you know we have updated our email addresses here at Loaves and Fishes*. Please take this opportunity to ensure that you, as contact for your volunteer team, have up to date emails and phone numbers for each member of your volunteer group. There are times when we have to make changes to plan for the day, sometimes at the last minute. We will reach out to you; you need to be able to reach your team! Flexibility and adaptability are very important to successful team work.
Happy Labor Day. We look forward to seeing you all here in the dining room in September.
Allison
Allison Hild
Exec. Director
Wish List
Loaves and Fishes Ministries: Pantry Wish List 2024-2025
1. Canned tuna fish & chicken
2. Nutritious soups
3. Beef stew or chili
4. Canned beans
5. Canned vegetables
6. Tomato sauce/canned tomatoes
7. Canned spaghetti and meatballs (or similar products)
8. Boxed macaroni and cheese
9. Canned fruit
10. Ramen noodles
11. Granola bars / Cereal bars (without nuts is preferred)
12. Pasta
13. Toiletries/personal items
Volunteer Calendar
We are here for you
Thank You for Your Dedication to Our Clients
If you think you may be short on volunteers for your day, please call us 48 hours in advance (if possible) so we can find extra help. We understand that sometimes you have questions about serving at Loaves & Fishes. We are here to answer those questions! Please do not hesitate to call us at 524-1730. Remember, when weather is difficult, the group contact makes the decision concerning group attendance. It is always your call.
Certificate Program
At L & F we want to make sure that we never lose sight of the individuals behind the numbers. No matter how much we pay attention to numbers and results, we put our greatest emphasis on those people coming in the door to eat a much needed meal; on meeting their needs where we find them. We track the number of clients who move from one program into related services – to determine how many clients are able to move beyond crisis intervention of the soup kitchen into individual economic development of our job training program, or our sewing program. And all of our clients and programs benefit from your support of our certificate program.
Send a certificate today
Our certificates are a thoughtful, creative way to remember friends and relatives during the holidays and year-round. At the same time that donors remember a loved one, they also help fill the needs of the hungry and homeless. The vast majority of certificates are sent for Hanukkah, Christmas, and the New Year, but we also receive requests for certificates in honor of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and memorials. Each year, Loaves & Fishes processes close to 200 certificates.. Call the office (860-524-1730) for an order form.
Testimonials
Some quotes from volunteers and clients
Loaves and Fishes Ministries is a tax-exempt, charitable organization that provides human services to the poor in Hartford, CT. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the Asylum Hill neighborhood of Hartford, CT, as a step toward the larger goal of creating diverse, healthy, and self-motivated communities. We serve low-income and poverty level individuals and families. Loaves & Fishes provides support services for these individuals trying to break the cycle of dependency. Through education, food, counseling, and economic development programs we hope to provide at least some of the community fabric that is critical to personal achievement. By assisting those people who are below the poverty level we expect to have positive repercussions within the community in terms of reduced crime and violence, removal of slums and blight, and an improved overall living environment.
United Way State Campaign Code #5328