In Connecticut, where 8% of the population is Puerto Rican, support for lower-income families comes in large part thanks to non-profit organizations run by Puerto Ricans who know firsthand what it means to start from scratch and sustain themselves far from the island.
At this time of year, one of the most difficult seasons for low-income families, economic pressure increases in the face of expenses associated with Christmas and Three King’s Day. Thus, the support of community leaders is reflected in food, services or, sometimes, simply an ear for the 288,000 Puerto Ricans who make up the diaspora in the state.
One such leader is Nilda Morales Rivera, director of the Institute for Hispanic Families (IHF), programs operating under Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford (CCAH).
“There are already more than 500 families registered to receive gifts on Three Kings Day. As long as our traditions are alive, our country will not be forgotten,” said Morales Rivera.
Economic realities explain much of this need. In Connecticut, many Puerto Ricans work in jobs close to the minimum wage, set at $16.35 an hour. This translates into a median income of $48,656 a year for Puerto Rican households, when the statewide average is $91,665.
The U.S. Census Community Survey revealed, in 2023, that 22% of all Puerto Ricans in the state lived below the poverty level, a situation that primarily affects female-headed households with children under 18.
In her role, Morales Rivera coordinates services that include clothing referrals, food distribution, assistance with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications and small business start-ups.
A native of Cayey and 52 years old, she came to Connecticut three decades ago. At one point, she returned to Puerto Rico for a year, but a domestic violence situation forced her to return to the United States with her two daughters to rebuild her life, this time, in East Hartford.
“I arrived with nothing, as one says,” she recalled, in a telephone interview with El Nuevo Día.
In the process of reestablishing herself, she enrolled her daughters in the María C. Sánchez school -named after Connecticut’s first Puerto Rican legislator-. Her constant involvement in school community activities led her to become president of the parents’ board, discovering her vocation for service.
Within two years, she completed an associate’s degree in education, subsequently beginning work as a teacher for the Hartford Public Schools (HPS), a school system of 16,000 students, of whom 85% are black, Hispanic or Native American (mostly Jamaican and Puerto Rican), and 21% are not proficient in English as a first language. In Hartford, the state capital, 37% of the population is Puerto Rican.
“I realized that I liked working with families. Being in a classroom limited me, I wanted to give more,” she explained, about the restlessness that led her to become certified as a family work specialist and continue in community service, even though it would mean a lower salary.
The Institute for Hispanic Families is the Latino family-focused division within Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford, and provides support such as food security, case management, document assistance, access to public benefits and senior programming.
Although the agency is a Catholic entity, its mission “transcends religion,” Morales Rivera stressed.
Ninety-five percent of the families served by the Institute are Hispanic; between 80% and 85% are Puerto Rican, while the remaining percentage includes African Americans, Asians and Americans. Annually, it impacts more than 1,500 families, not including the other Catholic Charities entities of the Archdiocese of Hartford, which has over 300 employees.
Under Morales Rivera’s direct supervision, there are three employees and five volunteers who are all Puerto Ricans. In recognition of her work, she was honored in November with the Community Service Award at the Maria C. Sánchez 2025 Awards Banquet.
Another key piece of community support is Connecticut Foodshare, the state’s largest nonprofit food bank. Luis Rodríguez Porter is the director of Volunteer Services.
Rodríguez Porter, 46, was born in Puerto Rico and came to Connecticut at the age of three months when his family emigrated in 1979. He grew up traveling to the island every summer and Christmas, and taught for 15 years at the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) in Hartford, following in the footsteps of his mother, who taught for 29 years.
After a decade working directly with families in education, in 2022, he joined Connecticut Foodshare as a relationship representative and, in 2024, took over as Director of Volunteer Services.
Connecticut Foodshare collaborates with more than 600 agencies in the state and operates with 123 employees. Rodríguez Porter’s job is to ensure that 60 volunteers a day process the food donated by supermarkets so that it can be distributed.
“We did the math, and those volunteers equal 23 full-time employees that we can’t afford to pay,” he continued. The volunteers are mostly retirees.
Currently, around 25,000 families receive food through the entity’s mobile trucks, not counting the traditional food banks they supply. In the Latino and Puerto Rican community, the most requested products are canned meats, eggs and milk.
Rodríguez Porter’s expertise was key during the start of immigration raids under the administration of President Donald Trump.
As he told this newspaper, many Latino families, or those of Puerto Ricans married to other Hispanics, were looking for food, avoiding going out to public places or to work for fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. This forced them to reinforce communication in Spanish, even in the reception area.
For those who wish to help, Rodríguez Porter emphasized that donating money has a greater impact than giving food. For example, “a large box of tuna can cost $49 at a megastore, while the organization can purchase it for $7 when buying in bulk.”
For his contributions, Rodríguez Porter received, in September, the Community Leader Award during the Hartford Puerto Rican Parade and Coqui Festival 2025.
Puerto Rican leadership also extends to other key social service entities in the state, such as the Hispanic Health Council (HHC), an organization founded by Puerto Ricans 55 years ago that today serves as a watchdog for accessible community health. In fact, it carries a Taino coqui as its logo.
For more resources
Connecticut Foodshare is open every day of the year. Residents in the state can text the word “FOOD” to 85511 to receive a listing of places to get help.
Meanwhile, persons interested in guidance on the services of the Institute for Hispanic Families can contact Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford at (860) 493-1841.
For more resources for Latinos in Connecticut, including a Latino Community Resource Map and an Immigrant Resource Guide, check out SOMOS CT's Latino Resource Community Resource page.
