Community Foundation Awards $795K to Strengthen Housing, Food Access, and Basic Needs Across Eastern Connecticut

The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut (CFECT) is pleased to announce it has awarded $795,500 in grants to more than 50 organizations supporting housing, food access, and basic needs and rights for residents across Eastern Connecticut.

Released ahead of Law Day and May Day—both of which celebrate American democracy and equality—this funding reflects the Foundation’s commitment to advancing equitable access to rights, protections, and essential resources like housing and food that support individual and community well-being.

“The organizations receiving these grants are not only meeting urgent needs like providing food and emergency shelter, but they’re also creating pathways to greater independence,” said Jennifer O’Brien, Program Director at the Foundation. “They’re doing this in a variety of ways, from teaching gardening skills to supporting employment readiness.”

This cycle of funding supported a range of initiatives, including $20,000 to the Connecticut Fair Housing Center to combat housing discrimination in Eastern Connecticut; $10,000 to the Furniture Bank of Southeastern Connecticut to purchase beds for people in financial need; $49,600 to New London Homeless Hospitality Center to support its Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund, and $30,000 to the Thames River Community Service to support young parents with housing and employment readiness. Funding also supported programs serving individuals with disabilities, including $5,000 to The Arc Eastern Connecticut for its Cooking Healthy Meals for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities program and $5,000 to United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut for its Pathways to Independence initiative.

These grants underscore the Foundation’s commitment to addressing both immediate needs and long-term stability solutions in the region. While emergency shelter and food access are critical, organizations focused on advocacy, housing stability, and skill-building help create lasting opportunities for independence and greater community well-being.

To learn more about CFECT’s 2026 basic needs and rights grants, visit cfect.org/recent-grantees.