The Gengras Center is proud of its long-standing relationship with Hands On Hartford (HOH). Our students don’t just learn vocational skills; they learn the power of community. Here are some of the ways our students and staff have made an impact:
- Weekly Vocational Skill Building: A cornerstone of our work at the HOH Center for Community, is the work in the kitchen at Gather 55 and our productivity for the backpack nutrition program. Our students are the backbone of the Backpack Nutrition Program and valued members of the HoH Community.
- Spreading Warmth with Hot Cocoa Kits: During the holiday season, our students assembled 450 hot cocoa kits for HOH’s Christmas Day Meal and an additional 230 kits for the Backpack Nutrition Program, helping to spread joy and warmth to families across Hartford.
- “Gengras Gets It Done” at the Spring Festival: At one of our annual Spring Festival, the Gengras community came together to support HOH in a big way! While students completed laps in the courtyard to raise funds, we also collected over 600 lbs of food and 130 toiletry items for the MANNA Community Pantry.
As Hands On Hartford noted in a recent newsletter: “We are so grateful to have such an incredible team like the Gengras Center by our sides! Their enthusiasm continues to shine a light in our community.”
From the January 2026 Newsletter: “We want to give a special shout out to the students and staff from the Gengras Center, who have been a huge help in our Community Meals program, assisting with everything from meal prep to decorating the dining room.”
We value our partnership with this great organization through the years. Their acknowledge of our work in their newsletters the past several years speaks to our mutually beneficial collaboration.