2021 Year End Review
It has been another unique year at Harford Community Action Agency! Our organization remains as the first line of defense to those in need in Harford County. We have expanded our services while shifting towards a virtual (and safer) working environment where possible. Currently, we are working with several government institutions, community partners and donors such as yourself to provide as much relief to those who are food insecure in Harford County. Since last year, there has been a 40% increase in the number of seniors and families living in poverty.
All Funds Invested in Harford County, Maryland!
As a nonprofit organization, HCAA relies on grants, in-kind donations, and the generosity of organizations and individuals like you to support our programs and services. All funds we receive are invested in our work here in the local community. Every contribution makes a difference and is deeply appreciated. You may donate to us securely online through our website at www.harfordcaa.org/donate or send your gift in the enclosed envelope. Thank you for your consideration of our request. Together we may one day end hunger in Harford County.
How Much Can Your Donation Help?
$25
25 lbs. of Food
4-5 Meals
$50
50 lbs. of Food
8-10 Meals
$100
100 lbs. of Food
16-20 Meals
$250
250 lbs. of Food
40-50 Meals
Programs Overview
Food Pantry
Supporting over 100 partners in Harford County for food needs. Emergency food is available once every 30 days to families in need. HCAA Food Pantry & Food Bank is the Emergency Food Organization (EFO) for the Maryland Food Bank and Feeding America.
Community Case Management
A program available to clients who are in need of one-on-one assistance with varying needs. A case manager will take time to create attainable goals with the client’s input in order to be sure that needs are met. Through referrals, outreach and encouragement, we will strive to give a hand up!
Food Advocacy
A program dedicated to reducing childhood hunger. A 6-week course that covers food-related topics such as: menu planning, budgeting, nutrition, and grocery store tours. This program will help adults feed their families with the best food available on any budget to provide children with nutritional and filling options.
The Office of Home Energy Programs
Provides assistance to Maryland’s low-income households to help families stay warm, connected, and help pay past due energy bills.
Support Services
The Homelessness Solutions Program helps prevent homelessness by providing residents with grant assistance to pay their rent, mortgage, security deposit or water bill. Households requesting this assistance must have dependents in the home under the age of 21. There are both a programmatic and income eligibility that needs to be checked first prior to any assistance provided. Income eligibility is 30% of the annual income, and the programmatic eligibility is once per year.
Parenting Inside Out
An 8-week evidence-based parenting skills training program developed for criminal justice involved parents and caregivers, taught at the Harford County Detention Center and within the community. PIO is designed to help promote: healthy child adjustment, nurture and encouragement, use of positive reinforcement and non-violent discipline, effective speaking and listening skills, constructive problem solving skills, and more! Case management services are also provided to help clients assess, plan, and evaluate the options and services required to meet their needs.
2021 Program Statistics
Maryland Energy Assistance Program
4,039 Households
$2,134,655.50 Benefits Given
Electric Universal Service Program
3,844 Households
$2, 125,510 Benefits Given
EUSP Arrearages
1, 143 Households
$1,085,971.61 Benefits Given
Supportive Services Program
- 571 Households Seen for Case Management
- 26 Households Attended Financial Literacy Workshops
Street Outreach Program
- 38 Single Adults
- 2 Households Received Street Outreach Services and Assistance
Food Pantry
- 8,366 Households Served
- 547,154 lbs of Food Distributed
HCAA FOOD Bank
- 211,702 lbs of Food, Transfers to Partners
- 511,688 lbs of Food, Donated from Retailers & Patrons
Eviction Assistance:
- 16 Households
- 29 Security Deposits
- 110 Rapid Rehousing Households
Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) Grant:
- 6 Households
Homeless Screening:
- 286 Single Adults
- 490 Households
FCCAU Shelter Placement:
- 155 Individuals
Motel Placement:
- 146 Households
- 286 People Total
Parenting Inside Out
- 26 clients participated in the PIO Jail
- 35 clients participated in PIO Community
- 287 clients received COVID 19 rental assistance
- 194 clients received a one-time payment for their past due water bill
- 742 clients contacted for Triage services
- 23 clients screened for re-entry services
Community Outreach
- 300 people throughout the community were reached (through resource advocacy, outreaches in the library, phone calls, mailers, emails and 1-on-1’s).
- 143 people involved with the criminal justice system have been given tools needed to be successful in their re-entry to the community as well as through their court mandated programs.
Food Advocacy Program
- 27 people participated in the Food Advocacy course.
- 102 people participated in a food related activity (ShopRite Tour, Harman’s Farm Market, Workshops & ‘Try Its’).
SNAP Program
-
100 Applications Performed
2021 Community Case Management
Provides one-on-one assistance to clients who are in need of varying resources.
A case manager will take time to create attainable goals with the client’s input in order to be sure their needs are met. Through referrals, outreach & encouragement we will strive to give a hand up!
SNAP Application Assistance
We know applying for assistance can be overwhelming. We are here to help with your SNAP applications.
RESOURCE ADVOCACY
We’ll help you work on your resume, interview etiquette, and completing online applications to get you back out into the work force. We also can help refer you to any of our internal services such as housing/eviction prevention, energy assistance, food pantry, parenting classes, and more.
PARENTING INSIDE OUT
Teaches parenting skills in an 8-week community program as well as a 6-week program held at the Harford County Detention Center, to help build a stronger connection with your child and help your children succeed.
MEET OUR COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT STAFF
Brit Ayers
Director of Community Case Management
Alyssa Webster
Parenting Inside Out Case Manager
Nathaniel Paradis
Parenting Inside Out Admin Assistant
Parenting Inside Out Program
An 8-week evidence-based parenting skills training program developed for criminal justice involved parents and caregivers.
The program teaches key parenting skills to connect with your children and help them succeed.
YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:
- Nurture and encourage your child
- Use positive reinforcement and non-violent discipline
- Solve problems creatively
- Parent your child in age appropriate ways and more
MEET OUR Parenting Inside Out STAFF
Brit Ayers
Director of Community Case Management
Alyssa Webster
Parenting Inside Out Case Manager
Nathaniel Paradis
Parenting Inside Out Admin Assistant
Food Pantry / Food Bank
The Community Action Food Pantry and Food Bank is an emergency and/or supplemental food source which is available once every 30 days to clients who are in need of nourishment.
HCAA’s Food Pantry has been serving Harford County families in need of food for over thirty-five years. Our Food Bank supports 100 partners in Harford County with food for them to distribute to other homeless and needy families in other parts of the County. Our food pantry also offers the following program and services:
EMERGENCY FOOD
Emergency Food or supplemental food is available once every 30 days to families in need. Families receive enough wholesome fresh/canned fruits, veggies, meats, milk products, and/or breads and pastries for 3-5 days based on household size. Harford Community Action Food Pantry & Food Bank is an Emergency Food Organization (EFO) identified by the Maryland Food Bank in conjunction with Feeding America.
FOOD PANTRY HOURS
Monday 9am-3pm
Tuesday 4pm-6pm
Wednesday 9am-3pm
Thursday 4pm-6pm
Friday 9am-3pm
FOOD PANTRY OFFICE HOURS
Monday – Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
REDUCING CHILDHOOD HUNGER/FOOD ADVOCACY PROGRAM
We will help your family eat healthy on a budget through a 6-week course (offered multiple times throughout the year) that covers food related topics such as: menu planning, budgeting, nutrition, and grocery store tours.
SNAP APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
We know applying for assistance can be overwhelming. We are here to help you complete your SNAP (food stamp) application correctly.
Food Advocacy Program
A 6-week program dedicated to helping families gain access to healthier food.
A 6-week program to help you learn new skills that will help your family purchase and prepare healthier food, even on a budget. You will also be connected with local resources to increase your access to healthy food.
YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:
- Meet MyPlate goals on a budget
- Read nutrition fact labels
- Make simple and healthy snacks
All participants take food home at the end of each class to replicate recipes at home and will receive a certificate and gift card upon completion.
Classes Are Located At:
1010 Gateway Rd
Edgewood, MD 21040
To sign up for upcoming classes, please reach out to:
Energy Assistance
The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) provides assistance to Maryland’s low-income households to help you stay warm, connected, and help pay past due energy bills.
OHEP PROVIDES THESE SEPARATE GRANTS:
*Specific criteria and conditions apply, please inquire with program to determine if eligible.
MARYLAND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MEAP)
Provides financial assistance with home heating bills. Payments are made to the fuel supplier and utility company on the customer’s behalf.
UTILITY SERVICE PROTECTION PROGRAM (USPP)
Is designed to protect low-income families from utility turn-offs during the heating season. All MEAP eligible customers may participate in USPP. Participation also requires a year-round even monthly budget billing. Failure to make consecutive payments may result in removal from USPP.
ELECTRIC UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM (EUSP)
Provides financial assistance with electric bills. Eligible customers receive help that pays a portion of their current electric bills. Customers who receive EUSP are placed on a budget billing plan with their utility company. Budget Billing is a tool that utility companies provide to help spread out your annual utility bills into even monthly payments to avoid spikes in your bill caused by seasonal fluctuations in energy use. Please check with your utility company on eligibility requirements and budget billing policy.
ARREARAGE RETIREMENT ASSISTANCE (ARA)
Helps customers with large, past due electric and gas bills. If eligible, customers may receive forgiveness of up to $2,000 towards their past due bill. Customers must have a past due bill of $300 or greater to be considered eligible. Customers may only receive an arrearage grant once every seven years, with certain exceptions.
MEET OUR Energy Programs STAFF
Supportive Services (SSP)
Designed to alleviate/prevent homelessness, and assist clients with achieving financial independence and self-sufficiency.
HOMELESS SERVICES
Harford Community Action Agency, Inc. became the provider for Harford County for homeless screening services effective 8/1/2014. HCAA screens homeless individuals in Harford County to be placed in the Welcome One Shelter, operated by FCCAU (Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United). The FCCAU Shelter has 27 male beds and 6 female beds. During freezing weather months, screening for homeless residents includes motel placement or placement into the emergency rotating shelter, according to Harford County’s Freezing Weather Plan.
RAPID RE-HOUSING
The Rapid Re-housing Program assists households to exit out of homelessness within 30 days of intake. Our program provides first month’s rent and security deposit assistance to fully transition a household into independent living. These households are provided ongoing case management to help link them to resources such as employment, supplemental benefits, medical insurance and budgeting to achieve financial and housing stability. The household is expected to independently sustain the rent once moved in but may qualify for additional rental assistance. There is specific criteria that has to be met in order to be considered a candidate for this program and retain assistance.
* There are both a programmatic and income eligibility that needs to be checked first prior to any assistance provided. Income eligibility is 30% of the annual income and the programmatic eligibility is once per year.
MEET OUR Supportive Services STAFF
Brian Wainwright
Director of Supportive Services
(443) 456-3629 ext. 2202
Eviction Prevention
HCAA has the ability to also assist low income Harford County households that are experiencing financial hardships.
Under the Homelessness Solutions Program (HSP) grant, HCAA has the ability to also assist low income Harford County households that are experiencing financial hardships that affect their ability to pay rent in accordance to their rental agreements.
The HSP eviction prevention assistance will provide aid to qualifying households once per twelve (12) months. An exception can be made in an extreme circumstance but this approval will need to be made by the SSP Director.
Eligibility for HSP Eviction Prevention Services:
Households will qualify for rental assistance if:
- The household falls within 30% of the annual median income. (Please see the income guidelines).
- An eviction notice is available or other approved documentation to show the “at-risk” status and vulnerability i.e. landlord ledger or documentation from the landlord on their letterhead.
Households will need to provide the following documents
- Photo ID for head of household.
- Copies of all social security cards within the household or knowledge of these vital records.
- Last 30 days of income for the entire household.
- Return the HCAA commitment letter after their landlord completes it.
