FISH/Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern CT

Thank you very much for considering a gift to FISH/Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern Connecticut. This year, in 2026, we are recognizing over 50 years of service to those experiencing hunger and homelessness! Your donation will be a Godsend as we have been continuously on the front lines serving the food insecure at the FISH Food Pantry, our neighbors in need; and we remain open 24/7, never missing a beat, at the FISH Shelter. We are resilient and filled with hope. We are the champions and advocates for the hungry and the homeless of NWCT yet know that it takes the generous support of you, and our greater community, who care to join us in partnering in our humanitarian efforts. And possibly this year more than ever, we have faced our programs being in jeopardy as we face daily the challenging economy due to changes from DC. There have already been cuts in government support to Connecticut FoodShare where we purchase food for the pantry, and to the SNAP benefits of our pantry clients; and at the homeless shelter we have some funding through HUD (via the CT DOH) and the VA. 

***** FYI - your charitable contribution is crucial to us to maintain our 35 bed homeless shelter, with 5 beds dedicated to veterans. At the FISH Homeless Shelter in 2025, we served 124 individuals - 87 adults, 19 children and 18 Veterans, as they awaited placement into permanent supportive housing.   Our shelter residents receive meals, bedding, mental health and medical assistance, and GED classes if needed - as they await placement to permanent, supportive housing. FISH NWCT also provides an on-site Case Manager to coordinate services, connect to resources, and assist with job search support and vocational training at the NWCT Community College. Note that in the past few years, we are seeing a trend change - that half of our shelter residents are seniors - some displaced from their two and three family house apartments due to rent increases and their Social Security not managing to stretch to cover all of their monthly expenses. Senior folks may arrive facing senior health issues - using walkers and canes, suffering with dementia, depression and loneliness, and challenged by the unknown.  We are also experiencing more homeless families at FISH. ***** We do our best to provide encouragement - building self-worth and hope - as we give a hand-up. ***** And, the FISH Food Pantry also greatly benefits, and counts on, the generosity of the community for contributions. When the shelves are empty, and food donations are slow, food goods are purchased to fill the need. In 2025, enough food was distributed to provide nearly 183,000 meals to our 2700 registered individuals/over 950 families needing our food services. ***** Please recognize that those families and individuals in need in our greater community may face the issues of homelessness and food insecurity every day.

At our FISH Homeless Shelter – we have a communal homelike setting, with a common area for congregating and dining, and sleeping arrangements are in our dormitories - and it is where amazing things happen under our roof daily. We offer a myriad of helpful services through Case Management to our Shelter residents, with our number one goal of placement into permanent supportive housing. We serve infants to seniors - families, veterans, seniors and individuals year-round, currently with two of our eight children under age two.

And numbers needing food support are definitely growing at the FISH Food Pantry. Just in the past year - we have welcomed an additional 1000 new pantry clients. It has been very challenging, as our donations are down, and organized food drives are scarce since the pandemic. So, we are facing an increase in demand, with dwindling food supplies/donations. We are actually having to write grants to purchase food to keep our shelves stocked at the pantry. Food literally flies off our shelves!

Our bare bones staff - work tirelessly to provide services to our 2800+ clients/residents needing help. ***** Please know that we have been blessed with many angels and heroes who miraculously step up to help support us - which we depend on - as FISH, being a nonprofit, counts on both financial and food donations. We recognize that you, and your generosity, make it possible for us to focus on our mission, and keep our doors open at our FISH Food Pantry and FISH Homeless Shelter. Every day we see the very human, social welfare challenges of families, individuals and veterans facing life crisis. We strive to restore the confidence and self-worth of those who are the most vulnerable and seek our help.

Your gift is critical and truly impacts local lives. ***** We are so very grateful to the Connecticut Community Foundation for their great leadership in recognizing the need and taking action to support our greater Northwestern Connecticut non-profits!