Dear Friends:

Most of us instinctively know that the poor and people of color suffer a disproportionate share of pain, suffering, deprivation and injustice.  But sometimes we forget.  The aftermath of hurricane Katrina and recent tragic earthquake in Haiti remains a stark reminder that race and class define who are the most vulnerable among us. Those of us who labor in the inner city know this on a daily and personal basis.

It is a great privilege for those of us at the CAC to work with the poor, disenfranchised and victims of injustice and neglect in Hartford and the surrounding region.  We seek to empower these individuals and families even as we endeavor to promote social, racial and economic justice for all. We do this in the name of the God who calls us to the task.

This mission, of course, takes many forms, including our outstanding Adventures in the City summer program for disadvantaged kids, immersion trips in the city, supportive services to the disabled and elderly, a unique downpayment assistance program for lower income families in public housing and throughout the region, along with housing counseling and homeownership training for first-time homebuyers. We now are a HUD-certified housing counseling agency.  We continue to develop new affordable housing and promote neighborhood revitalization, especially in the Upper Albany area.

I hope you are sufficiently inspired by our mission to want to join or support us in seeking to improve lives, strengthen community, and promote social justice by breaking barriers and building bridges. These bridges are undergirded by faith and hope.  Please contact us to explore ways you might put your faith in action and embody hope for the poor in our midst through concrete signs of love and acts of justice.

Rev. Donald R. Steinle