Introducing the Trinity Community Care Project
I have been involved with TCCP since my freshman year, and it has been an incredibly meaningful part of my time at Trinity. Today, our work centers around four main initiatives: Food Recovery, the Backpack Nutrition Program, our partnership with Journey Home, and a Harm Reduction Initiative. In fall 2024, we made the decision to rename the Trinity Homelessness Project (THP) to the Trinity Community Care Project (TCCP). We felt that our previous name did not fully capture the breadth or values of our work. While some of our initiatives support individuals experiencing homelessness, the term “Homelessness Project” risks reducing people to a condition and framing them as something to be “fixed.”
This year, I serve as a Co-President of TCCP and lead our Food Recovery Initiative. Food Recovery is a partnership between TCCP and Chartwells, where staff pack leftover food from Mather Dining Hall that would otherwise go to waste. Each week, TCCP volunteers and I deliver this food to ImmaCare Shelter on Broad Street.
This program reflects TCCP’s core values of resource sharing and mutual community support. Through food recovery, we redirect surplus food to community members experiencing food insecurity while also contributing to sustainability efforts on campus by reducing food waste. On average, we donate between 10–20 trays of food each week. I have been involved in leading this program since my sophomore year, and one of the most rewarding aspects has been building relationships with the ImmaCare staff and seeing the direct impact of this work.
Our other two main initiatives are the Backpack Nutrition Program and our partnership with Journey Home. Co-President Linnea Mayo ’26 leads the Backpack Nutrition Program, which provides weekend meals to approximately 250 food-insecure Hartford students throughout the school year. Each week, volunteers pack bags of food for children who may not have access to school meals over the weekend. These backpacks are distributed through Hands On Hartford to families in need.
Our partnership with Journey Home is led by our third Co-President, Shreyasi Oli. Several times each semester, TCCP volunteers spend a Saturday assisting individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. Volunteers help move furniture and essential items into new apartments, supporting people as they settle into stable housing.
In addition, E-Board members Selam Olson, Eulalia Esquenet, and Brooke Potter lead our Harm
Reduction Initiative. Through panels, volunteer opportunities, and partnerships with organizations such as the CT Harm Reduction Alliance, they raise awareness about harm reduction practices and how to support individuals experiencing addiction with dignity and care.
Ultimately, our work extends beyond homelessness to address food insecurity, public health, and broader community well-being. TCCP is grounded in the belief that community care is rooted in consistency, dignity, and mutual support. This is why our initiatives operate regularly—whether weekly, like Food Recovery and Backpack Nutrition, or multiple times each semester, like Journey Home. Renaming our organization to the Trinity Community Care Project better reflects our mission, values, and ongoing commitment to showing up for our community with intention and care.
