Dear Friends,
As many of you know, for decades now our Sandwich Ministry has been serving every day of the year—365 days—from 4-5:30 pm offering food and hospitality to anyone who comes to our door.
In January 2021, we expanded the ministry to include hot meals on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Three years ago, we added an additional sandwich distribution on Sunday afternoons at noon.
The continued growth in our food security needs is evident right at our doorstep. To give a sense of that increase, here’s a look at the total number of meals we distributed each September over the past four years:
- September 2022: 2,008 meals
- September 2023: 3,047 meals
- September 2024: 4,261 meals
- September 2025: 4,413 meals
In addition to these numbers, from December through March, teams—including our Confirmation students—prepare hot meals for the warming center, where many of our guests seek shelter during the bitter winter months.
Since we began offering hot meals in 2021, the total number of meals shared each September has more than doubled. This steady increase reminds us both of the depth of need in our city and the incredible generosity of those who make this ministry possible—through donations, volunteer hours, and prayer.
We invite you to check out our food security ministries: Sandwich Makers, Sandwich Distributors, Bread Warriors, St. Francis Bakers, and two ministries that make sandwiches from home. Volunteers also serve at the House of Bread as part of a meal team and help bring fresh produce to the food desert in the North End of Hartford through our partnership with Levo International. We can always accept donations of snacks, and many of these ministries have sign-ups for those who’d like to get involved. You can read more about them on our website under “Food Security Ministries.”
