Hartford Larrabee Fund

In accordance with Major Larrabee’s intentions, we serve primarily women who live within the city limits of Hartford, CT.

We have a new initiative, Bootstraps, designed to assist women who have recently re-entered society from being incarcerated. Women coming out of York often have little or nothing, including clothing and personal items, jobs, or a permanent place to live. While there are programs to assist, we too can help. Bootstraps sets aside 5 applications per month for security deposits, rent or furniture for applicants who apply through traditional partner agencies or through the Hartford Reentry Welcome Center, which is run by Community Partners in Action.

Yes, we serve men who are either

1. Sixty-five or over AND/OR

2. Have a debilitating medical condition AND/OR

3. Have minor children in their care.

We cannot assist you if you live outside the City of Hartford, or are moving outside of the city. You can apply for assistance to the Greater Hartford Larrabee if you live in East Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Windsor, South Windsor, West Hartford or Wethersfield at http://www.shallbellc.com/larrabee/index.html.

We provide assistance for housing and supportive services:

1. housing costs (rent, mortgage) which are in arrears

2. security deposits

3. utility bills (CNG, MDC, Eversource, and heating oil) which are in arrears

4. specialized clothing and furniture in limited circumstances

5. emergency response systems

6. assistance for female returning citizens of less than 1 year

We rarely provide emergency services, such as meeting shut off deadlines or preventing evictions that are imminent.

Hartford Larrabee Fund does not cover prescription drugs, medical or dental care, eye exams, eyeglasses or contact lenses, health insurance, or medical equipment. We do not assist with automobile or transportation expenses, credit card bills, daycare for children, or taxes of any kind. We do not buy appliances. We no longer provide monthly stipends.

Yes, we use the income guidelines from the Connecticut Department of Social Services Monthly Median Income Guidelines. These are the income levels for 2020.

Income qualifications: Federal Poverty Levels, Monthly Income

Yes, and those limits change periodically based on our income. 

The funds we distribute come from 3 sources: The Woodward Trust, the W.O. Burr Trust, and the Larrabee Trust. These funds are managed by the City of Hartford. The interest is combined, and distributed under the direction of the Hartford Larrabee Fund Association members.

Individuals are not allowed to apply. Each applicant is referred to Hartford Larrabee Fund by an agency or religious institution. Agencies include the City of Hartford, United Way, St. Francis Hospital, CRT, DSS and many others. A person needing assistance can approach an agency with a request for assistance, and the agency decides if an application to Larrabee is appropriate. They then complete the required forms, verify the information in the application, attach supporting documents, and send all of that to us.

Agencies are required to submit an agency information form, and to update it yearly. Forms are available on this website.

organization information form 2020

All adults in a household must be listed on the application with their information.

Members of a household can apply for assistance once in a 12 month period, for no more than three consecutive 12 month periods. Persons whose applications have been withdrawn are not considered to have applied. Persons whose applications are denied may reapply once before the 12 month period has expired.

In order to be considered in a particular month, the application packet and all supporting documents must be received (not postmarked) by the deadline provided on the calendar on the home page.  The application packet should include the application, the agency cover letter, for correct form,  the documents requested and the checklist.

Applications received after the deadline are held for the following month's meeting. Incomplete applicatiions are denied and not returned.

Very rarely. When we do, the amounts available for assistance are much less than funds for those applications which use the regular process.

The Hartford Larrabee Fund meets monthly on the last Tuesday of each month. Applications must be in by the 15th of the month, and go through an initial evaluation process before being submitted to the entire board. Applications received after the 15th of the month are retained for consideration the following month.

Letters are sent to agencies after the monthly meeting indicating the status of each application submitted. Letters usually reach agencies within 3-5 days. Letters are sent to the address provided on the cover letter. Applicants should ask their case manager or the person who wrote their cover letter for additional information.

If the information in the application is accurate, assistance usually reaches the creditor in 7-10 days.

Assistance is sent to the creditor, i.e. the utility company, the landlord or mortgage company, vendor or adult day care facility. No funds are sent directly to the applicant.

Sometimes checks are not cashed because they have gone to the wrong address, or have been inadvertently disposed of. If you have been notified that assistance has been granted, and the check has not reached the creditor within 10 days after the last Tuesday of the month, agencies should contact the Larrabee Fund using the form provided on the application page.  Applicants should contact the agency which sponsored their application. Checks which have not been cashed within 60 days receive a stop payment and will not be reissued except under extraordinary circumstances.