Official Charities

Donate Life Connecticut is a 501(c)3 statewide non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about organ and tissue donation. Our volunteer driven organization educates the public through high school programs, college lectures, DMV relationship building and public awareness events. Presently over one million Connecticut residents have registered as organ and tissue donors! Organ transplants save the lives of over 26,000 Americans every year. Over one million Americans have their sight restored through cornea transplants, mobility restored through bone transplants and lives saved by skin donations annually. Despite these wonderful successes, 18 Americans die every day waiting for an organ that never comes. One organ and tissue donor has the potential to save and improve the lives of more than 50 other people. We all have the power to give life.

Founded in 2007, Jane Doe No More is a national nonprofit working to improve the way society responds to victims of sexual assault through education, awareness, advocacy, and support. We offer programs and classes specifically designed for sexual assault survivors, police officers and other first responders, and the community at large. We raise awareness about the crimes of rape and sexual assault through a full schedule of speaking engagements, appearances in media, including television and radio, our social media channels, and through our website. Jane Doe No More also provides support for victims and their families by offering information, resources, and referrals from a trained intervention counselor, and through our program for sexual assault survivors.

To honor the memory of our founding Board member and good friend, Jeff Partridge, the Hartford Marathon Foundation created a relay race for school children within the ING Hartford Marathon.

The program is appropriately called “Jeff’s Running Partners”, because of Jeff’s passion for running and his commitment to education. A teacher, coach or parent representing a school, will run the entire Hartford Marathon accompanied by a team of students running as a relay team. Each student runs one or more miles, depending on his or her ability. It is possible for each student to run multiple miles, if it is deemed appropriate. In lieu of the full marathon, 2 or more adults may each run a portion of the marathon.

The future of our sport (and our society) lies with our healthy, young children. We must do everything possible to encourage fitness in our kids. We are headed in the right direction. Through our own dedication to running and triathlon, we demonstrate the benefits of being fit and the great quality of life offered through health and fitness.

HMF has committed to do more. We are offering more kids running events and are staging a Family Fitness Training Program beginning in June. We lowered 5K entry fees for kids so families can run together without breaking the bank. Our website has a dedicated page to youth fitness events and information. We have also partnered with other organizations to promote youth triathlons produced throughout the state.

Lily's Kids Inc. is committed to ensuring that all children have a healthy start in life. Our primary focus is the prevention and awareness of heart disease in children, young adults, and their families. Our Heart Yourself Program is a fun interactive program focusing on the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors known to help prevent heart disease and improve overall health through healthy eating, not smoking and physical activity. We believe that by instilling these values we can help not only our generation but future generations.

My Sisters’ Place is committed to ending homelessness and empowering women, families, and others in Greater Hartford to achieve independence and stability in their communities by providing housing and supportive services.

New Horizons provides options for improving the quality of life for adults with physical disabilities and those recovering from injury. We strive to be the area’s center of excellence for barrier free quality housing, inpatient nursing home care, and outpatient rehabilitative programs and services. New Horizons, Inc. is comprised of New Horizons Village, a community of accessible apartments for physically disabled adults and Cherry Brook Health Care Center, a skilled nursing facility providing inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative care and services.

ING Run For Something Better is helping kids learn that exercise is fun and rewarding by making fitness opportunities available in schools. www.orangelaces.com

Imagine if childhood obesity didn’t threaten the health of so many children across America. Imagine if we could give our nation’s children a way to get moving and a reason to get excited about physical activity! ING Run For Something Better is helping kids learn that exercise is fun and fostering their desire to exercise before obesity even begins. How? ING Run For Something Better funds free school-based running fitness programs that are capped off with thrilling race day events. Why? In addition to fighting childhood obesity, research shows that physical activity improves self esteem, school performance and a child’s overall well-being. With your support, we’re giving kids the “wings” to “fly” and inspiring them to live healthy today, so they can have a better tomorrow!

Join the ORANGE LACES NATION and you can change children's lives through fitness!

Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) provides year-round sports training and competitions for close to 15,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners - their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 170 countries around the world by inspiring inclusion and respect for all people, on and off the playing field. Each year, SOCT hosts over 70 tournaments and competitions in 27 different sports.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. Founded in 1949, we are relentless in pursuit of our mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Created 25 years ago, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (TNT) has grown to be the single largest and most successful endurance sports training program for charity. More than 540,000 participants, from first timers to seasoned athletes, have trained with the Team and achieved their best at marathons, half marathons, triathlons, cycling events and hiking adventures.

Team M.A.D. was formed by an ad hoc group of dedicated people in 2006 and is a 501(c)(3)! As a team, we train runners and non-runners to be able to complete a half marathon (13.1 miles) or a full marathon (26.2 miles) while raising money for our annually designated charity. Our goal is to support local charities in reaching their full potential while providing a safe and memorable experience for our runners.

The Village for Families & Children, Inc. (the Village) is a proactive provider of culturally-competent behavioral health services to urban youth and families in Hartford. Services include committed programs for hard-to-reach populations such as adolescent mothers, young fathers, and adjudicated youth. With over 200 years of service to the greater Hartford community, the mission of the Village is “to build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children.”