House of Bread

What House of Bread does

House of Bread is a private non-profit social services ministry headquartered at 27 Chestnut Street in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded on February 4, 1980 by Sisters Theresa Fonti, CSJ, and Maureen Faenza, CSJ, the organization operates as a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry. It delivers an integrated portfolio of free, walk-in and referral-based services to economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Hartford, including a Soup Kitchen (100-150 meals per service), the Kids Café (180+ K-12 students daily), a Day Shelter with hygiene facilities, Men's Transitional Housing (up to two years), 27 units of affordable housing (Ed O'Neil House), and an Education Center offering ESOL classes and the H.O.M.E. GED program (120-150 individuals annually). A food recovery operation collects donations from Trader Joe's and BJ's Warehouse and redistributes 300-500 lbs daily to 11 local food pantries. A Thrift Shop (currently temporarily closed) and the Jubilee House event venue provide supplemental programmatic infrastructure.

The organization is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations, foundation grants (Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Lincoln Financial Foundation), corporate sponsorships (45th Anniversary Year-long Sponsors including Conning, Eversource, Hartford Healthcare, Trinity Health–Saint Francis Hospital, Webster Bank, and Aetna via the Birdies for Charity match), and in-kind contributions of food and goods. It maintains a small paid staff (11-50 employees) supplemented by hundreds of volunteers, and is governed by a Board of Directors under co-directors Beth Boyle and Tom Porell. Outreach is conducted via a WordPress website, organic Facebook, email, and annual fundraising events including the Hunger Banquet (now in its 41st year) and the Travelers Championship Birdies for Charity program.

Underlying technology is minimal: standard WordPress CMS, email, and conventional food-service and facility infrastructure. There is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capability, and no digital product surface. The business model is purely philanthropic — all beneficiary services are free, with revenue generated exclusively through charitable giving, grants, sponsorships, in-kind donations, and modest earned income from the Thrift Shop and Jubilee House venue rentals.

Name

House of Bread

Legal name

House of Bread

Website

https://hobread.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

House of Bread is a Hartford, Connecticut non-profit founded in 1980 that provides free food, housing, education, and shelter services to economically disadvantaged individuals and families, serving nearly 1,000 people daily through its soup kitchen, Kids Café, transitional and affordable housing, ESOL classes, and food recovery operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services Nonprofit

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD), In-House Cafeteria Operations & Meal Preparation (EDAEAEAA)

Keywords

• Food security services
• Affordable housing programs
• English language classes
• Homeless shelter services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Financial gifts from individuals to support ongoing mission of helping the economically disadvantaged in Hartford area.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Lincoln Financial Foundation ($20K grant for Kids Café).
3. Corporate Sponsorships: 45th Anniversary Year-long Sponsors program with multiple tiers: Founders Sponsor, Education Expert Sponsors, Housing Helper Sponsors, and Core Supporter Sponsors including companies like Conning, Eversource, Hartford Healthcare, Trinity Health – Saint Francis Hospital.
4. In-Kind Donations: Donations of food, clothing, household items, and other goods that support program operations and are distributed to those in need.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

House of Bread is a non-profit social services organization that delivers free food security, housing, and education programs to economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Hartford, Connecticut. Core offerings include daily Soup Kitchen meals, the Kids Café school meal program, food distribution to 11 local food pantries, a Day Shelter with showers and case management, the Education Center providing English (ESOL) classes to immigrants and refugees, the Men's Transitional Living Facility, the 27-unit Ed O'Neil House affordable apartments, and the H.O.M.E. Program supporting mothers pursuing GED credentials.

Product overview

House of Bread is a non-profit social services organization offering an integrated portfolio of programs focused on food security, housing, and education for the economically disadvantaged in Hartford, Connecticut. The organization operates as a single unified ministry rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core programs include: the Soup Kitchen and Kids Café (food services), Men's Transitional Living Facility and Ed O'Neil House affordable housing (housing services), and the Education Center offering ESOL classes (education services). Additional offerings include a Day Shelter, Thrift Shop, Food Distribution network, Jubilee House event venue, and the H.O.M.E. Program for mothers pursuing GED credentials. All programs are coordinated through the main office at 27 Chestnut Street, with the Education Center located at 673 Maple Avenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jubilee House: Event venue offering dining and meeting space for 2-50 guests with on-site parking, certified catering kitchen, garden and cloister. Located at 673 Maple Avenue, Hartford, CT.
• Education Center at the House of Bread
• H.O.M.E. Program (Helping Our Mothers through Education)
• Ed O'Neil House

Products and services

• Soup Kitchen Daily meal service for food-insecure individuals at 27 Chestnut Street, Hartford, serving 100-150 people per meal. Provides breakfast (Mon-Fri 8-9am, Sun 9-10am), lunch (Mon-Fri 11:30am-12:45pm, Sat 11:30am-12:30pm), and dinner (Thu 5-6pm). Free of charge to all walk-in beneficiaries.
• Kids Café Nutritious hot meal program serving over 180 K-12 students from underserved communities each school day. Meals are prepared at the House of Bread kitchen and distributed to local independent schools and after-school programs. Supported by a $20K Lincoln Financial Foundation grant.
• Food Distribution Program Food recovery and redistribution program collecting donated food from Trader Joe's and BJ's Warehouse and delivering 300-500 lbs daily (approximately 9,000 lbs monthly) to 11 local food pantries in Hartford's food desert, serving 525 people each week.
• Day Shelter Day shelter at 27 Chestnut Street open Monday-Friday 7:30am-1:30pm providing showers (available 9-10:45am), toilet facilities, personal hygiene products, client advocacy, and social, medical, and housing assistance referrals for individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Education Center at the House of Bread Adult education center at 673 Maple Avenue, Hartford, offering English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes, social integration services, and citizenship assistance to immigrants and refugees. Morning and afternoon sessions, Monday through Thursday, September to June. Serves 120-150 individuals annually.
• Men's Transitional Living Facility Temporary housing facility for men in substance recovery programs, offering safe, comfortable, and affordable accommodation for up to two years while residents work toward independent living.
• Ed O'Neil House 27 units of affordable housing for low-income residents, offering one, two, and three bedroom apartments.
• Thrift Shop Low-cost retail shop at 27 Chestnut Street, Hartford, offering appliances, furniture, books, toys, decorations, and household items. Currently temporarily closed; previously open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-1:30pm.
• H.O.M.E. Program (Helping Our Mothers through Education) Education support program helping mothers work toward their GED credentials through individualized instruction and support to pass all four GED exams. Documented success includes participant 'Betsy' earning GED in 10 months and attending Goodwin College while working part-time in Kids Café.
• Jubilee House Event venue rental facility in Hartford's south end at 673 Maple Avenue offering dining and meeting space for 2-50 guests, on-site parking, a certified inspected catering kitchen, and seasonal garden and cloister access. For inquiries, contact 860.247.3030 x103.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 people served daily across all programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Patrick-St. Anthony ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 198930+ year partnership making House of Bread the primary focus of their collaborative social service ministry. Co-hosts annual Hunger Banquet at Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry. Church community provides volunteer support and the Sandwich Ministry partnership where HOB cuts lunch meat for SPSA's sandwich ministry serving 80 people daily.
• Connecticut FoodshareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partner in food security efforts, providing food supply chain support for distribution to those in need.
• Trader Joe'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates food that HOB picks up and delivers to 11 local food pantries. Part of food recovery and redistribution program.
• Midwest Food Bank New EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partner providing food donations for distribution to Hartford area food pantries.
• Sisters of St. Joseph of ChambérycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouse of Bread is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry. The order has a 370+ year history serving the poor, founded in 1650 in France. The North American Province supports House of Bread as part of their ministries addressing violence, hunger, homelessness, and alienation of families.
• CT Harm Reduction Alliance (CHRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHRA uses House of Bread's kitchen facilities to make sandwiches that they distribute at their Albany Avenue location.
• BJ's WarehouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates food that HOB picks up along with Trader Joe's donations and delivers to 11 local food pantries.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella network for Catholic Charities agencies including the Hartford Archdiocese affiliate. Comparable mission platform at scale; provides funding, advocacy, and best-practice frameworks relevant to HOB's operations.
• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator. Comparable in operating affordable housing units for low-income populations; broader geographic footprint and larger capital base than HOB's 27-unit Ed O'Neil House.

Direct peers

• InterCommunity: Hartford-area health and human services provider offering housing, recovery, and case management. Comparable in serving similar vulnerable populations with a multi-service model.
• Catholic Charities - Archdiocese of Hartford: Faith-based multi-service social services nonprofit operating in the same Hartford market as House of Bread. Provides overlapping food, housing, and case management services to economically disadvantaged populations, competing for the same donor and grant pools.
• Hartford Food System: Hartford-focused food security nonprofit addressing food access, urban agriculture, and hunger. Operates in the same Hartford food desert context with comparable anti-hunger programming.
• Chrysalis Center: Hartford-area social services nonprofit providing housing, behavioral health, and supportive services. Comparable in mission around homelessness, housing insecurity, and wraparound client support.
• Connecticut Foodshare: Connecticut's largest food bank with substantial Hartford distribution presence. Directly comparable in food security mission and food recovery/redistribution operations; larger scale statewide infrastructure.
• Hands On Hartford: Hartford-based community services nonprofit with comparable volunteer-powered food, shelter, and social support programming. Operates a community kitchen and direct service programs for the same economically disadvantaged populations.
• Salvation Army Greater Hartford: Faith-based social services organization operating soup kitchens, emergency shelter, and transitional housing in Hartford. Closely comparable faith-rooted, multi-program service model targeting the same populations.
• Urban League of Greater Hartford: Hartford-based social services and economic empowerment nonprofit serving disadvantaged populations with overlapping programs in workforce development, education, and community support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hobreadct
• Xx.com/houseofbreadct
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/house-of-bread-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about House of Bread