The Freshplace Committee and Communications Council is thrilled with the front page of the Thursday April 24, 2008 Connecticut section of The Hartford Courant. Click here to view the terrific photo that ran featuring Watkinson students packing backpacks, with a short description of our program. Many thanks to the Freshplace Committee and our many partners at the Watkinson School for drumming up front page coverage!

Please consider making a donation to Freshplace. Your generous contribution will help support the construction and operation of this innovative solution to hunger in our community.

Click Here to Download our Freshplace Donation Form

You Can Help!

Hunger is a significant problem in Greater Hartford - one that affects 100,000 people in our community. The 2000 US census estimated that 31% of Hartford residents live below the poverty line. This makes Hartford the second poorest city in the nation.  Additionally, 40% of the households eligible for food stamp programs do not receive them.

Chronic hunger exacerbates many of the social problems in our community, including problem pregnancies, the incidence of premature, high risk birth, and children too listless or restless to pay attention in school. Teens living with food insecurity are more likely to have health problems, get into trouble, use drugs or alcohol, drop out of school and attempt suicide. Chronically hungry individuals are more prone to drug and alcohol abuse and are more likely to commit crimes in pursuit of food or the means to get food. Clearly, we need to address the issue of hunger in our midst in order to improve the overall health of our community.

Freshplace, a collaborative project of the Chrysalis Center, Foodshare and The Junior League of Hartford, aims to tackle these issues. We are constructing a 2,000 square foot facility in the Upper Albany neighborhood of Hartford to provide fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, in addition to other pantry staples, to those in need. Freshplace will offer client-choice based selections to accommodate the health, cultural, religious and familial needs of those that are hungry. Freshplace will also offer comprehensive intake and referral services, increasing access to food stamps, health and crisis intervention programs, public assistance, and educational services. Freshplace will serve as a community hub and resource, assisting in the revitalization of Upper Albany, supporting the network of existing area food pantries, and creating a center for community involvement. We believe that in an atmosphere of dignity and respect, we can work together to help reduce and eliminate the need in our midst.
           

Learn more in recent USA Today article "Needy Students Given Food for Weekend."

The Freshplace Backpack Program

The Freshplace Backpack Program is a new project developed by members of the Junior League of Hartford to address hunger in Hartford. Currently 40% of children (under the age of 18) in the Upper Albany neighborhood are living at or below the poverty level and many of these children rely on school and after-school provided meals for their nourishment. In an effort to reach some of these children, the Freshplace Backpack Program provides backpacks filled with child-friendly, nonperishable and vitamin-fortified meals and snacks to students and their families. The backpacks are distributed to the students each Friday and are returned to school on Monday. Currently 30 families identified by the Family Resource Center at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School are participating in the program.

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President's Message

Welcome to the Junior League of Hartford website! Whether you are a prospective member, current member or a member of the community, we thank you for visiting our website to learn more about the Junior League of Hartford.

The Junior League of Hartford, Inc. (JLH) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

We are diverse women, sharing a common desire to make a difference in our community through volunteer efforts. Whether your goal is to meet new friends or engage in hands on volunteer opportunities, our goal is to provide members with both outcomes. As a 15 year member of the Junior League organization, I can honestly say my life has been greatly enriched by the friends I have made and the opportunities I have had to give back and impact and improve our communities.

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