The Basic Needs Fund Awards $425,000 to 44 Local Nonprofits

New Haven, Conn. (Nov. 25, 2025): The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Basic Needs Fund is distributing grants totaling $425,000 to 44 local organizations serving local residents who need basic daily essentials including food, housing and heat.

The recent grants are part of $1.6 million in total funding for basic needs that The Foundation has awarded so far in 2025.

“The Basic Needs Fund was started in 2020 by local donors who are committed to this issue, and it has significantly expanded the Foundation’s ability to support our most vulnerable neighbors,” said The Community Foundation President and CEO Karen DuBois-Walton. 

DataHaven, The Foundation’s data indicators partner, projects that 58,000 Connecticut families will lose significant SNAP benefits because of federal changes to the program. The resulting strain on families and the nonprofits that serve them led the Basic Needs Fund advisory committee to prioritize organizations that address food insecurity.

“We've seen how much of a difference these grants make to human service organizations in our region,” said Andy Eder, a member of the Basic Needs Fund advisory committee and a board member of The Community Foundation. “Our focus on food access during this grantmaking cycle is a direct response to the latest hits to our social safety net.”

Since 2021, The Basic Needs Fund has granted a total of $1.84 million to 85 nonprofits. The grants target organizations that help households meet basic everyday needs, such as food security, shelter and housing, clothing and hygiene products.

2025 Basic Needs Grantees

$15,000 - Community Soup Kitchen to support the purchase of food, supplies and hygiene products essential for safe and dignified meal distribution and the delivery of take-out meals to guests.

$15,000 - Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Inc. to support the provision of basic unmet needs to unhoused and primarily unsheltered individuals in Downtown New Haven in a highly accessible, low-barrier environment.

$15,000 - Haven's Harvest to support warehouse rent and utilities, enabling Haven’s Harvest to recover and distribute about 1 million pounds of fresh food in six months, directly meeting the basic need of food security.

$15,000 - Junta for Progressive Action, Inc. to support the distribution of food vouchers and cash assistance for individuals experiencing housing instability.

$15,000 - Loaves & Fishes to support the distribution of fresh food, clothing, undergarments and hygiene items to community members in need.

$15,000 - Real Food CT, Inc. to support year-round fresh produce deliveries to food pantries in New Haven, Ansonia and Derby by expanding our gleaning and farm surplus program and moving food at no cost to families facing food insecurity.

$15,000 - Sunrise Cafe New Haven to support the purchase of food and associated products such as paper plates and flatware needed to serve guests.

$15,000 - The New Haven Pride Center to support over 200 community members each month with essential resources including a fully stocked food pantry, toiletries, emergency monetary assistance and transportation.

$15,000 - Varick Memorial AME Zion Church to support improvements to the soup kitchen by upgrading equipment, purchasing fresh and nutritious food and strengthening volunteer efforts.

$15,000 - Walk Of Faith Community Food Pantry Services Outreach to support Walk of Faith's weekly community food pantry and the distribution of food boxes, toiletries, winter care packages and other essential items to vulnerable individuals. 

$15,000 - WHEAT, Inc. to support the purchase of hygiene products, fresh meat, vegetables and fruits from local grocers not available through CT Foodshare. 

$15,000 - Winning Ways Inc to support the Direct Cash Assistance Program to provide up to $200 annually to 50 eligible clients, addressing essential needs in food security, hygiene and clothing. 

$10,000 - CitySeed Inc. to support the doubling of food access program dollars for vulnerable residents through the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for Seniors (SFMNP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC FMNP) recipients. 

$10,000 - Divinely You to support transgender and gender-diverse individuals in meeting their essential material needs, including the Trans Closet, providing clothing, hygiene products and other personal essentials. 

$10,000 - Elena's Light to support the distribution of critical seasonal and year-round items including warm winter clothing, heaters, portable fans as well as other expenses associated with community distribution such as UHaul rental fees. 

$10,000 - Fixing Fathers Inc. to support Fixing Fathers Inc.’s food gift card program to address food scarcity, and rental assistance grants to prevent housing instability. 

$10,000 - Fostering Family Hope to support teens involved in the foster care system with ethnically appropriate hair care products for textured hair. 

$10,000 - Good Neighbors Community Fund to support the provision of food for unhoused people in New Haven’s Hill neighborhood and people at risk of becoming unhoused.

$10,000 - Havenly to support emergency rental assistance for refugee and immigrant women in Havenly's fellowship program who are leaving situations of domestic violence.

$10,000 - Little Free Pantry on Skokorat to support the purchase of healthy, shelf-stable food items, produce and hygiene products.

$10,000 - Living Word Ministries d/b/a Vertical Church to support food distribution, hygiene supplies and essential operating costs (utilities) for The Dream Center of West Haven, which addresses urgent basic needs for low-income families and individuals.

$10,000 - National Veterans Council for Legal Redress, Inc. to support NVCLR's ongoing efforts to provide veterans and their families with food assistance, shelter and housing support, clothing, hygiene, transportation and essential supplies.

$10,000 - New Haven Immigrants Coalition to support cash and food assistance as well as housing and transportation support for immigrant families directly impacted by deportation and detention.

$10,000 - Seymour Oxford Food Bank to support basic needs items that aren't routinely donated but are still vital for shoppers, including dairy, meat, fresh produce and hygiene products. 

$10,000 - The Salvation Army (Ansonia Greater Valley) to support rental and utility assistance, including water, along with filling in the needs for Christmas and Thanksgiving meals.  

$10,000 - The Tiny Miracles Foundation to support financial assistance for housing, transportation and utilities for approximately 80 qualified families who experience serious financial stress because their preterm babies require extended hospital care.

$10,000 - Trinity Church on the Green to support Chapel on the Green's Laundry Love program, which provides laundry vouchers for downtown laundromats for primarily unhoused individuals. 

$10,000 - Upon This Rock Outreach, Inc. to support the purchase and distribution of basic needs including soap, undergarments, laundry detergent, toiletries and socks. 

$10,000 - Wealth Beacon Group Foundation to support Wealth Beacon Group Foundation’s ability to provide families transitioning from homelessness with essential household items, stable housing and wraparound services.

$10,000 - Women of The Village Community Food Pantry to support the Women of the Village Community Food Pantry supply non-perishable items for pantry attendees, in addition to hats, gloves and scarves.

$8,000 - Omega Seventh Day Adventist Church to support purchasing commercial freezer/refrigerator needed to better manage pantry.

$7,500 - Apostle Immigrant Services, Corp. to support the weekly distribution of prepared boxes of food for registered participants and neighborhood residents.

$7,500 - Area Congregations Together Inc to support the purchase of pillows, towels, hygiene products and basic clothing items for shelter residents, No Freeze guests and emergency triage families, as well as food supplies and paper goods for the winter emergency "No Freeze" program.

$7,500 - Vivan Las Autonomas to support the launch of a basic needs program that offers critical support such as housing, cash assistance, food, hygiene supplies and transportation to women and youth impacted by gender-based violence, immigration enforcement and housing instability throughout Greater New Haven. 

$5,000 - Covenant to Care For Children to support the provision of basic essential and/or mandated goods to Connecticut children, birth through 17, who are abused, neglected, impoverished and are involved in the foster care system. 

$5,000 - InPower CT, Inc. to support InPower CT, Inc.'s Basic Needs Program, providing food security and essential hygiene items to underserved individuals and families in Hamden and New Haven.

$5,000 - New Haven Pop Warner Football to support meals for youth participants and basic needs packages.

$3,000 - Abundant Harvest Outreach Community Engagement Inc to support the delivery of essential items including winter gear essentials and family care items for families who are survivors of homicide.

$3,000 - His Divine Will Fellowship to support the distribution of food at the annual Day of Joy at the Q House which provides meals and "food-to-go" for over 1,500 annually.

$3,000 - Priceless Decisions to support the expansion of programs that provide essential resources such as clothing, food, hygiene items and educational support to individuals and families in need.

$3,000 - Ruth's Kid's Closet to support the provision of winter coats for children and adults, along with bags of non-perishable food and personal hygiene items.

$3,000 - Street2Straight Program Inc. to support the provision of basic material needs to clients including food, clothing hygiene supplies, transportation assistance and emergency housing support.

$2,500 - VETFUEL  to support the Unstuck Transition Program which will distribute backpacks with toiletries and bus passes to homeless and transient veterans. 

$2,500 - Faith Healing and Deliverance Ministries to support the expansion of FHDM's emergency food pantry for children and families, the purchase of food for individuals living within emergency housing, and the provision of basic needs items for the elderly residing in convalescent homes.