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October 31, 2022 2022 Giving Guide

Chrysalis Center, Inc.

Mission: Chrysalis Center provides supportive services to assist people in need to transform their lives.

Getting help…Getting better…Giving back.

Who are you helping, and how?

Our mission is to provide supportive services to assist people in need to transform their lives. We provide services to individuals and families trying to live independently in the community but are experiencing poverty with a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, or returning from incarceration. Through job training, housing, and other healthcare services, we transform lives by “Getting Help... Getting Better... Giving Back.” Based in Hartford, we serve over 1,260 individuals and families yearly throughout the State and offer services in four key areas. Our Food Hub meets critical community needs by addressing food insecurity and providing clients with opportunities to receive healthy foods and fresh produce. Community Support and Case Management services reflect national best practices and are designed to assist individuals and families in meeting health, recovery, rehabilitative and other life goals. Community Supportive Housing provides safe, affordable, and permanent housing to homeless individuals and families. Recovery services assist individuals in their recovery by increasing independence and building critical community support networks.

Fundraising Events/Opportunities

We host three major annual fundraisers a year, as well as several third-party events.

Our premier fundraising event is the annual Butterfly Bash, now in its 18th year. Coming back from a two-year virtual experience, the Bash returned to an in-person event in 2022. The event was held on October 13th at the Hartford Marriott Downtown’s ballroom.

With this year’s theme of “Return of the Social Butterfly,” the Bash included both live and silent auctions, delicious food from both the Marriott kitchen and La Cocina, our in-house culinary arts training program, as well as client testimonials and networking opportunities.

All proceeds from this event furthered our mission by funding the many programs and services for individuals and families seeking to transform their lives.

Every March, we also hold an Empty Bowls event to bring awareness to local and national food insecurity. Empty Bowls is an international initiative to fight hunger with community level personalization from local artists. We support the initiative by bringing awareness to the issue of hunger facing our neighbors throughout the State, particularly those living in the “Promise Zone,” the federally recognized neighborhoods in Greater Hartford where nearly half of all residents live at or below the poverty line.

Each Empty Bowls ticket includes the choice of three soups (prepared by area chefs and students from our in-house culinary-arts training kitchen), bread, dessert, and a beverage. This is a great family event and brings much awareness to food insecurity. All funds raised directly benefit our Food Hub, which addresses food insecurity in the community through innovative, hands-on approaches. The Food Hub includes the following programs: Freshplace food pantry, Urban Roots hydroponic grow center, Homestead Farmers’ Market, Railway Gardens, Food Forest at Cosgrove Commons, and La Cocina Catering and Culinary Arts Training Kitchen.

We also host “Donation Creation,” a food drive with a twist every April and May. The organization invites everyone in the community — from students and families to corporate and religious groups — to team up and collect nonperishable food items for Freshplace, our innovative case management food pantry, feeding individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in the poorest neighborhoods of Hartford. Teams are encouraged to create a sculpture with their collected donations, take a photo and enter the “TOP CAN’ contest! Sculpture winners are announced in June.

Giving Opportunities

We send direct supporter appeal letters twice a year. We utilize all aspects of social media to share our mission and seek support, as well as share support opportunities through our website and “Constant Contact.” We seek corporate support for all our events, particularly the Butterfly Bash. Individuals and businesses can support our organization by making monetary contributions through the website or direct mail.

Throughout the year, we request in-kind food donations for Freshplace. Donations of food and organized food drives are also done through the “Families Feeding Families” program, through which participants commit to a monthly donation for a year. In-kind donations of small household items are requested through social media and our quarterly newsletter to help clients move into their first homes as they transition from homelessness to housing. During the holidays, we seek in-kind donations of new toys, clothing, personal care, and small household goods and well as monetary donations.

Volunteer Opportunities

Our volunteers are among our greatest strengths. Last year, over 200 individuals gave their time and talent by volunteering. We often seek help for our fresh food pantry, giving volunteers the opportunity to work directly with clients and help them select nutritious food, prepare resumes, and explore job opportunities. Volunteers organize activities for clients and their families, host food drives and help maintain our indoor hydroponic garden as well as our outdoor gardens. We work with many high schools, universities, and colleges by hosting internships and work projects. We also partner with local businesses, arranging “days of caring” for our campuses. We are continually seeking qualified individuals for our Board of Directors and Board Committees.

“Being a member of Chrysalis Center’s Recovery and Empowerment Center taught me a lot. I came here not valuing the person that I am. They taught me how to respect myself. I took classes on wellness, self-esteem, and communication helped. I learned how to set boundaries, respect the person that I am, and be a better listener. The staff and other REC members are my family. They believe in me and support me when I’m feeling down.”

— Lisa

active Chrysalis Center’s Recovery and Empowerment Center member