The winter and holiday season is a time for celebration, connection, and community—but it can also come with added stress and unexpected needs. This season reminds us how important it is to lean on one another and the resources that help our community thrive. Just as neighborhoods light up during the holidays, our community shines brightest when we support one another.
For North Hartford families, caregivers, and community members, knowing where to turn for support can make a meaningful difference, especially during the colder months. While the North Hartford Ascend Community Resource Map is available year-round, the map’s network of trusted, local supports is especially valuable this time of year when needs related to food, housing, health care, mental health, and family support may increase.
Designed with and for the community, the map makes it easier to find resources close to home and stay connected to the organizations working every day to support North Hartford residents. Whether you are seeking resources for yourself, a neighbor, or a family member, the Community Resource Map is a tool to help ensure no one has to navigate challenges alone.
What is the North Hartford Community Resource Map?
North Hartford Ascend is a community-driven, prenatal-to-career effort to ensure that children living in the North Hartford Promise Zone—including the Clay Arsenal, Northeast, and Upper Albany neighborhoods—have the support they need to reach their full potential. Operating within Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health, Ascend works to build a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated network of programs, services, and resources for children and families.
The North Hartford Ascend Community Resource Map is a digital, integrative tool designed to connect North Hartford residents to resources in the community, including basic needs, childcare, education, health care, mental health and substance abuse disorder services, and more.
North Hartford residents and community members identified the need for an easy-to-use map to access a network of support and resources. The map was designed by CTData Collaborative, and data on resources and services from 211 Connecticut are available through Ascend’s ongoing partnership with United Way of Connecticut. CTData Collaborative also worked with Connecticut Children’s Childhood Prosperity Lab to help plan and integrate Human-centered Design (HCD) into prototypes to ensure the voice, needs, and preferences of the community were thoughtfully integrated into the map’s design. Care coordination professionals/family navigators from The Village for Families and Children and Connecticut Children’s participated in the first co-design session. A second co-design session engaged members from Ascend's Resident and Community Advisory Group and others from the community.
The product of these prototypes and co-design sessions is a user-friendly map built for and shaped by North Hartford residents.
The Importance of Seasonal Resources
The Community Resource Map offers resources across 11 key areas: basic needs, childcare, consumer services, criminal justice and legal services, education, environment and public health/safety, health care, income support and employment, individual and family life, mental health and substance use disorder services, and organization/community/international services. With more than 20 sub-categories, users can find support for very specific needs.
Winter and the holiday season bring challenges such as colder temperatures, higher heating costs, extra food needs, seasonal illnesses, and icy conditions. Organizations across the community provide resources to help individuals and families stay healthy, safe, and connected throughout the season.
Below is a curated list of resources from the Community Resource Map that can be especially helpful during the winter and holidays, highlighting specific supports available to community members.
Basic Needs
- Food: Winter/holiday meal programs and local pantries.
- Housing/Shelter: Warming centers and emergency shelter options.
- Material Goods: Coat and toy drives, clothing closets.
- Transportation: Winter-safe transit and discounted options.
- Utilities: Heating and energy assistance programs.
Healthcare (Cold & Flu Season)
- Local clinics for flu/RSV/COVID vaccinations.
- Walk-in care and chronic condition support.
Mental Health & Substance Use Support
- Crisis lines and counseling resources.
- Substance use treatment and recovery support.
Individual & Family Life
- Leisure: Free/low-cost winter activities and safe indoor spaces.
- Family Support: Parenting resources, holiday assistance.
- Youth Programs: After-school options, mentoring, winter activities.
Income Support & Employment
- Seasonal job opportunities and workforce training, or employment in general.
- Financial assistance and budgeting support.
How to Use the Community Resource Map
Community members can access the Community Resource Map here.
Click on a shape on the map to view details about that resource. Green squares are resources that are Ascend Affiliates, purple circles are community resources, and yellow circles are schools.
The map can be zoomed in or out by clicking the “+” and “-” buttons in the upper left corner of the map, or by using the mouse to scroll in and out or pinching the screen if on a touchscreen tablet.
Community members can search for resources using the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of the map and can turn layers on and off by clicking the layer icon below the magnifying glass icon. The map also features a layer for Hartford bus routes, so community members can see how near or far a resource is from bus stops.
Community members can filter resources by using the “Select a Resource Category” drop-down. To further refine the search, they could also select resource(s) from the “Select a Resources Sub-Category.”
For example, if looking for food pantries or similar resources, one would select “Basic Needs” from the “Select a Resource Category” drop-down, and then select “Food” from the “Select a Resource’s Sub-Category.” Or, if looking for health screening locations, select “Health Care” from the “Select a Resource Category” drop-down, and then select “Health Screening/Diagnostic Services” from the “Select a Resources Sub-Category.”
Once the resource categories are applied, the map automatically loads all available resources that meet that criteria. When clicking on a resource, community members can find the resource’s location, organization, service description, organization description, address, operating hours, and other relevant information.
Learn more about how to navigate the Community Resource Map through this video tutorial here.
With these easy-to-use features, the Community Resource Map is designed to help community members quickly find and share support. Knowing how to navigate the map ensures no one has to navigate the winter season alone.
Together Through the Season
As winter unfolds, the North Hartford Ascend Community Resource Map is here to light the way, reminding us that support is always within reach. Whether you or someone you know needs resources, explore the map and share it with your neighbors. If you aren’t looking for resources but want to give back this time of year, volunteering, donating, or sharing information with others goes a long way and strengthens our community!
This winter and holiday season, let’s continue to lean into the support of our community by using the tools available to us, caring for one another, and ensuring that everyone in North Hartford has the support they need to stay safe, healthy, happy, and connected.