Mission: Reducing homelessness by eliminating hopelessness

Vision: Multiply the community impact of like-minded faith-based organizations, government agencies, businesses, and individuals to have a greater impact for our homeless neighbors

About Us

Harford County Hope for the Homeless Alliance is a coalition between the Harford County government, businesses, nonprofit agencies and faith-based groups to work together to re-implement the Emergency Rotating Shelter.

Spearheaded by Councilman Curtis Beulah in 2015, the Harford County Hope for the Homeless Alliance has offered a safe and caring environment for our neighbors experiencing homelessness rotating among local churches. We serve about 80 adults each winter. This effort is in addition to the year-round Welcome One Emergency Shelter.

Churches and local organizations have also volunteered meals, transportation, showers, and laundry services along with assistance gaining employment and housing. As an example, working with Harford Community Action Agency, 19 people acquired permanent housing in 2019.

Winter 2025 Closing Report

EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTERS

Harford County HOPE for the Homeless Alliance

Reducing HOMELESSNESS by eliminating HOPELESSNESS

The emergency winter homeless shelters are managed by Harford County HOPE for the Homeless Alliance (HCHHA) with financial assistance from the Harford County’s Dept of Housing & Community Development, from The Dresher Foundation’s grant, and through private donors. HCHHA provides additional beds and resources during the winter months when it is unsafe for people to be living outdoors.

The Alliance is composed of people and organizations with a heart for our homeless neighbors. By combining our resources, we can offer them a path out – helping them move from homeless to wholeness. HCHHA has no paid staff so we want to thank each and every volunteer and donor as it takes a community to address the needs of the least empowered among us.

The Harford Community Action Agency is the key partner in vetting and placing all individuals and families into local shelters. The Days Inn & Travel Lodge of Aberdeen were utilized for lodging families with children and ten churches provided dinner for them, often multiple times. In the emergency rotating shelter (ERS), eleven churches rotated weekly to offer lodging and meals in their facilities to individuals. Other churches, especially Cokesbury United Methodist Church, hosted individuals for the day on weekdays and on Saturdays.

Churches hosting an ERS week or more:

· Joppatowne Christian Church in Joppatowne (2-1/2 weeks)

· City of GOD, Highway to Zion in Edgewood (in Joppatowne’s Church)

· Crosspoint Community Church in Edgewood

· Harford Community Church in Creswell

· Presbury United Methodist Church in Edgewood

· Havre de Grace United Methodist Church in Havre de Grace

· Mt. Zion Church in Bel Air

· St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Aberdeen

· St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bel Air

· Aberdeen Bible Church in Aberdeen

· Evangel Assembly of God Church in Aberdeen

Churches hosting ERS the day on Saturday:

· Cokesbury UMC, Abingdon (so many times that we lost count). We look forward to New Hope Day Shelter’s new facility in Edgewood being available for next winter.

· Christ Fellowship Church, Forest Hill hosted guests at their church and volunteers served at four other churches – congregations working together on a mission!

· Centre United Methodist Church, Forest Hill

· Christ Episcopal Church, Forest Hill supplied Saturday and motel meals

Other HCHHA Resource Partners:

· Grace United Methodist Church in Aberdeen who supplied dinner for motel guests every Wednesday.

· The Epicenter of Edgewood provided guest showers

· Oak Grove Baptist Church, Bel Air provided vans/drivers for transportation.

· Revive Us Ministries, Aberdeen provided for our guest’s personal needs

· Wash-n-Fold Express, 705 Edgewood Rd, Edgewood for the weekly cleaning of ERS bed linens – tremendous number of blankets and pillow cases every week!!

HCHHA Financial grants & especially generous donations:

· The Dresher Foundation

· Harford County Dept of Housing & Community Development

· Fallston United Methodist Church, Fallston

· Salem United Methodist Church, Upper Falls

Does it make a difference? By the numbers: Over the winter, 19 people including 12 children were sheltered in motels and another 65 adults were sheltered in churches. That’s 84 people out of the winter weather! Even more significantly, we were able to help place 16 adults into housing. It certainly makes a difference to each one of these!

Join with us to make more differences!

Harford County HOPE for the Homeless Alliance continues to be a beacon for those in need. Your compassion and generosity allow us to provide vital resources to individuals and families facing homelessness. There are so many ways you can join with this community alliance to make a difference in someone’s life, indeed even influencing their future generations. To explore how we can work together for next winter’s shelters, email highertogether@comcast.org. To stay informed, join us on Facebook (HarCoHopefortheHomeless) or visit www.hchha.com.

Thank you for partnering with us in

REDUCING HOMELESSNESS BY ELIMINATING HOPELESSNESS

Financial partnership: Please mail your check, payable and addressed to Well of Hope, PO Box 200, Abingdon, MD 21009 designating “for HCHHA” in the memo area of your check. You will receive a confirming letter for tax purposes. There are other donation options on our website.

“I was a stranger. And you invited me in.”

(Jesus speaking in Matthew 25:35 NIRV)

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