The Hartford Cares Initiative was launched by Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) in May 2008 after the occurrence of a series of violent crimes in the capital city. At the behest of Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, LGH agreed to work with groups throughout the region to organize a community response to the senseless acts of violence that have impacted the quality of life of Hartford residents and marred the city’s reputation.

A candlelight vigil in Bushnell Park just a few weeks later, served as the
official launch of Hartford Cares: Conversations, Connections & Commitments to Build a Greater Hartford. The event, which featured local dancers, musicians and poets, united citizens and provided a platform for people from all over Greater Hartford to share stories of hope, courage, love and personal triumph. The Hartford Cares Initiative continues to focus on community-building by providing a forum for people to speak openly and candidly about crime, violence and other social problems plaguing the city. Every Hartford Cares event concludes with people making commitments on how they can help build a greater Hartford.

Hartford Cares Forum Brings Non-Profits Together

Approximately 125 people, representing more than 50 different organizations, participated in seven different discussion groups part of the Hartford Cares forum "How the Nonprofit Community Can Take the Lead in Addressing the City’s Basic Human Needs" held on Friday, February 13, 2009. Each group focused on a different social or economic issue: food; housing; health; employment; youth; financial assistance; and other basic human needs (mental health, public safety, ESL, etc.)

The goal of the forum was to help non-profit organizations:

• Understand the impact on our neediest citizens caused by the current economic downturn
   

• Learn what services are available to help
   

• Join with others to advocate for a strong public and private response
   

• Explore how we might change our organizations and our business practices to turn problems into opportunities

Discussions were facilitated and the results were recorded. LGH is pleased to share reports of the assessments generated by forum participants to be used as a very helpful guide to those interested in continuing to work on a given issue. The following, however, is an attempt to identify common themes and needs that must be understood by those seeking a coordinated approach to meet all of the city’s basic human needs. Click here to read more

Hartford Cares Forum Reports:
Click any title to download a PDF version of the report :

Employment & Training
Financial Assistance
Food & Hunger
Health Care
Housing & Shelter
Other Human Services
Youth Services

To watch the video of Shelley Copeland's presentation "Organizing & Advocating for Change," click here.  Reverend Copeland is the Executive Director of the Conference of Churches.

This Hartford Cares event was organized by Leadership Greater Hartford in cooperation with the City ofHartford, the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, the MetroHartford Alliance, the Conference of Churches, the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits, the Connecticut Association for Human Services, Foodshare, the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, and CRCOG.

Bill Cosby Comes to Hartford to Speak with Parents & Youth

Approximately 1,000 people turned out  for the "Hartford Cares and So Does Bill Cosby" event held at Buckley High School. The forum was the first event since the launch of the Hartford Cares initiative, organized collaboratively by Leadership Greater Hartford and Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez, which aims to address issues that effect the quality of life of those living and working in the City of Hartford. Dr. Cosby came to speak specifically with Hartford parents and children about the importance of family and education.  The event is supported by the Aetna Foundation and Mayor Perez’s Rising Stars for Hartford.

Click here to read more about this event:

Hartford Courant: Cosby Keeps Focus On Community
CT News Junkie: Cosby’s message: Responsible parenting wrapped in hope and empowerment

Vigil in Bushnell Park Kick-off “Hartford Cares” Initiative 
Public Invited to Join in Conversations, Connections and 
Commitments to Build a Greater Hartford

What and Why:

Citizens from throughout Greater Hartford came together in Hartford’s Bushnell Park for a candlelight vigil to foster healing and hope in Hartford.  This event, the first in a series of events being undertaken as part of the “Hartford Cares” initiative, featured the Hartford Symphony as well as music, song, dance and poetry from other local artists.  In addition, ordinary citizens will share extraordinary stories of hope and goodwill. Area nonprofit groups will be offering people opportunities for involvement and citizens will be stepping up to make new and additional commitments to help build a greater Hartford.


Background: 

On behalf of the City of Hartford, Mayor Eddie Perez asked Leadership Greater Hartford to work with groups throughout the region to organize a community response to help Connecticut’s capital city. Organizers of Hartford Cares: Conversations, Connections and Commitments To Build a Greater Hartford, are deeply disturbed by Nick Carbone’s savage beating, the hit and run attack on Angel Arce Torres and other senseless acts of violence that too often mark Hartford’s life and reputation.  At the same time, this initiative will help citizens remember that Hartford is much more and far better than what these terrible acts depict.  Stories of hope, courage, love, personal triumph and community-building will be shared.

Ted Carroll, president of Leadership Greater Hartford, said: “As citizens of one shared community with one common future, each of us must make a commitment to act now. The June 30 vigil is a public step forward to speaking openly and candidly about crime, violence and other social problems plaguing our city. But we will also hear about what’s going right and who has stepped up to defeat these scourges. We want to find ways to support and replicate those everyday heroes. Then all of us in the region, individuals and institutions alike, can publicly commit to finding at least one more way to make a difference.”

Hartford Cares is organized by Leadership Greater Hartford in cooperation with the Office of the Mayor and the Court of Common Council, young and established artists, local businesses and many community groups throughout the region. For more information www.hartfordcares.org

Special thanks to Steven Mitchell, who brought together the following artists to touch our hearts: The Hartford Symphony Orchestra; Generation of Drummers; IRA; Artists Collective; Esteban Arrufatt; Spectrum in Motion; Mind Evolution; Sankofa Kuumba; the CT’s Children’s Chorus; People of Goodwill; Anne Cubberly; Kathy Strauss;choirs of Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Congregation Beth Israel, Faith Congregational Church, Congregation Beth El, Immanuel Congregational Church