Nourishing Communities and Meeting Essential Needs

Since its inception, the American Savings Foundation has supported families across its 64‑town service area by investing in organizations that provide food and other basic needs. This work remains vital as food insecurity across Connecticut continues to rise.  Recent statewide data shows that many indivudals in our communities face persistent barriers to accessing healthy food and meeting other basic needs due to cost, transportation, and limited resources.

View of looking down an aisle with stocked shelves of food

From its first grants, the Foundation has partnered with a wide network of agencies on the front lines of hunger relief and basic needs support. These organizations go beyond distributing groceries; they offer guidance, referrals, assistance with utilities and household essentials, and supports that help families address the underlying challenges contributing to food insecurity.

The Foundation is also a member of the New Britain Hunger Action Team, a coalition advancing local, community‑driven solutions that strengthen food access and household stability. Our support for basic needs goes beyond food programs, with recent grants to agencies that provide energy assistance, essential items such as diapers, and connections to services that help households achieve lasting stability.

Group of three young scholars smiling together outside

New Britain ROOTS

American Savings Foundation’s support extends to programs that connect communities with healthy food in deeper, more sustainable ways. New Britain ROOTS fosters food access, urban agriculture, and hands‑on learning through school and community gardens and community fridges, initiatives that complement broader efforts to reduce financial strain on families. Grants also support educational programs that teach nutrition as well as the science of growing food.

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Connecticut Foodshare

Connecticut Foodshare provides year‑round food distribution in New Britain through 25 partner organizations, including six Mobile Foodshare sites serving high‑need neighborhoods. In Waterbury, Foodshare partners with 36 organizations and four mobile pantry sites to ensure residents have reliable access to healthy and nutritions food.

Since 1996, American Savings Foundation has awarded almost $5.3 Million to organizations providing basic needs to people in our communities.