OUR WORK - 2020

Below is a gallery of photos showing the work we’ve done through the year.

Hartford’s Assets:  Our beautiful gardens

The annual HUGS (Hartford Urbans Gardeners Society) awards were held November 21, 2020.  Done in partnership with Knox, Hartford NEXT and McCarter & English we celebrated the beautiful gardens located in Hartford.

Changing the Narrative:  Hartford’s Assets

Changing the Narrative is part of the asset mapping project.  Changing the Narrative allows Hartford residents and/or workers to talk about what they see as the strengths of the city and what they wish for the city in the next five years. It allows us to focus on the good, the positive things of this city.

On September 14, 2020 The Crown Act became a law in Hartford, Connecticut.

See our slide show of our Summer 2020 Project for The Crown Act.

What is asset mapping?

Community asset based mapping is a strength-based approach to community development. … The process of asset mapping can include identifying the institutions, individuals, and citizen associations existing within communities that serve as positive resources.

Internal focused – strength based – relationship driven

Picture is of the A2L Summer Youth Team working on asset mapping this summer.  Activities they participated in were:

Walking neighborhoods for survey

 

Interviews

Focus groups/community conversations

Statistics about community

Business directories

Photography (photovoice)

Videos

Research

Hartford News Article

Ideas That Grow

July 30 – August 5, 2020

Hartford News Article

Showcase Hartford’s Gardens in the 7th Annual HUGS Awards!

August 13 – August 19, 2020

In The News:

Hartford Chamber of Commerce

Hartford Nonprofit Helps Change Lives and Build Legacies

Advocacy to Legacy, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, educates individuals, families, and communities about how to advocate for themselves to change lives and leave legacies. Founder and Executive Director Violette Haldane told the Hartford Chamber of Commerce about her love of Hartford and the Hartford community.

Why did you join the Hartford Chamber of Commerce?

VIOLETTE HALDANE: Advocacy to Legacy, Inc. joined the Hartford Chamber of Commerce so we could become more involved with the Hartford business community, meet other business owners, and be a part of an organization that supports small businesses in the City of Hartford.

Why Hartford? How did you decide on the location for your business?

VIOLETTE: We love the city of Hartford. It has many hidden treasures and lots of business opportunities. We chose the Albany Avenue/Blue Hills corridor because we work with some of the anchor institutions in Hartford with community engagement through surveys, focus groups, and community conversations and North Hartford residents and business are the groups we work with the most. We also work with urban youth and our location is accessible by public transportation and within walking distance of several schools.

Tell us about the neighborhood and what makes it unique.

VIOLETTE: Our office is in the Albany Avenue/Blue Hills area, where there are stable communities with families owning homes for 30 to 40+ years. They have a large West Indian population that values entrepreneurship and business ownership.

What is the best thing about living/working in Hartford?

VIOLETTE: The people are great—they’re friendly, willing to assist, and love and understand the city. The residents understand what the city has to offer in public and private spaces (parks, museums, restaurants, hospitals, universities/colleges, etc.). They choose to live where they work, worship, and play.