Harford County is, in many ways, a wonderful place to live. It is a community filled with strong neighborhoods, caring people, and opportunities. Yet for too many of our neighbors, the soaring cost of housing, the struggle to earn a living wage, and the unexpected challenges life can bring make homelessness an ever-present reality.
Did you know that during the last school year, 716 Harford County Public School students qualified for homelessness services? Behind that number are children waking up in shelters, doubled up with relatives, or moving from place to place without the stability every child deserves. Homelessness disrupts education, impacts mental and physical health, and creates barriers that can last a lifetime if left unaddressed.
At Harford Family House, our mission is clear and urgent: no family or individual should have to sleep outside in Harford County. For more than three decades, we have worked alongside our community to provide safe shelter, supportive services, and pathways to stable housing. When someone walks through our doors, they are met with dignity, compassion, and the belief that homelessness is not a personal failure; it is a circumstance that can be overcome with the proper support.
As we begin a new year, we are reminded that homelessness is not an abstract issue; it is happening in our schools, our neighborhoods, and our workplaces. Ending homelessness requires all of us: neighbors, partners, donors, volunteers, and advocates standing together to ensure that every person has a safe place to call home.
With continued community support, we can move closer to a Harford County where no child wonders where they will sleep at night, and no family is left without hope. Together, we can make sure no one sleeps outside and that everyone has the opportunity to build a stable, brighter future.