This summer marked Trinfo’s first full summer back since its closure for renovations last year. With Trinfo open again and welcoming community members, the summer was filled with youth programming, a flourishing community garden, exercise and wellness activities, and community partnerships that created a consistently fun and welcoming atmosphere.
The summer kicked off with the reopening of Trinfo’s community garden and the rebuilding of several garden beds. This effort was truly a community undertaking. The Hartford League baseball team joined the CHER and Trinfo workers for a full-day garden activity to help rebuild the beds and prepare the garden for the season. Since then, community gardeners, including staff, faculty, students, and Hartford residents, have enjoyed the newly rebuilt beds that have supported their gardens. Throughout the summer, the garden has been flourishing, filled with flowers, vegetables, and herbs that bring life to the community space outside.
Trinfo also hosted and supported several youth programs throughout the summer. Through our partnership with the Appleseed program, students were able to use Trinfo’s computers during Computer Days held throughout July, providing young people with access to technology.
We also partnered with the Hartford Job Corps and the Boys & Girls Club to create opportunities for young people to learn cooking and build practical skills. Through Job Corps, a cohort of young adults participated in a cooking program where they learned different aspects of cooking and food preparation at the Trinity College Cultural Houses. The program provided a hands-on opportunity for participants to develop new skills while connecting on campus.
Our collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club also brought cooking activities to their space for younger students. With cooking supplies and food generously donated by Whole Foods and Costco, students were able to learn basic cooking skills while having fun. This shows how big businesses are able to support smaller community initiatives that we at Trinfo try to take advantage of. The Boys & Girls Club also participated in 3D-printing programming hosted in partnership with Trinity’s Digital Scholarship Studio. These sessions introduced students to 3D printing while bringing Trinity resources and technology directly into the Trinfo community. It was a great opportunity for young people to explore new technologies in a space that was accessible to them.
Throughout the summer, Trinfo program manager Alberto Rivera hosted exercise and wellness activities for youth. Participants had opportunities to exercise, take walks outdoors, and use the open gym at HMTCA. These activities provided young people with ways to stay active and prioritize their health and well-being during the summer months. Trinfo also hosted a trauma support group that incorporated healing and trauma-informed activities, creating space for participants to connect and engage in collective healing with Kathleen St. Ours. Another community event was hosting the “Community and Coffee Conversations” with the Hartford Votes Coalition and Hartford Votes Captains. These gatherings created opportunities for neighbors and community leaders to come together, share ideas, and build relationships.
Trinfo wrapped up the summer by welcoming new students to our spaces with a cookout for Trinity’s P.R.I.D.E Orientation Leaders. The gathering provided an opportunity for the student leaders to visit Trinfo, enjoy time together, and connect with the community before the start of the new academic year, and hopefully they can share about Trinfo with the incoming class.
As we welcome students back to campus, we also encourage the incoming class and student leaders to make Trinfo part of their Trinity experience. This summer was a reminder of what makes Trinfo a special third space. It’s when Trinity and the Hartford community come together, and collaboration can be seen through gardening, skill development classes, community conversations, and youth programming. Trinfo is truly a hub of activity and energy that’s for the community.
