Brother, can you spare some time?

Mary Paramore
HBL Associate Editor
1/29/2010

Harford County's emergency shelter is operated by Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United, Inc. The atmosphere is homey and welcoming. Seated, from left are Rick Gebhardt, president of Capitol Finishers, who is a long-time volunteer through his Calvary Baptist Church; FCCAU Board President Pat Eiler and FCCAU Executive Director Judy Merritt. Joe Smith, FCCAU's volunteer coordinator, is standing.

Volunteers affiliated with faith based and community organizations play an essential role in Harford County’s network of services for the homeless. If your business can round up a dozen or so volunteers just one day per month, you, too, can help support local individuals and families in their time of need.

Harford County’s emergency shelter is in an unmarked space within the Riverside Business Park, next to the Harford County Public Library (HCPL) administrative offices. Each night, 22 men and six women who are assigned to the Welcome One Emergency Shelter by the Department of Social Services are met by friendly faces, fed a warm meal, offered showers and laundry facilities and provided a warm, safe, clean place to relax, read a book, watch some TV and sleep. In the morning, they receive breakfast and a sack lunch, and are transported to Aberdeen, Bel Air or Edgewood for the day.

The shelter’s origin and operations just might surprise you. Harford County was the last county in Maryland to open an emergency shelter for the homeless. In 1999, citizens who saw the need organized a winter-only shelter that moved from church to church each Monday. These churches and supporting agencies soon founded a non-profit organization, Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United, Inc. (FCCAU), through which to serve Harford County’s homeless population.

“For seven years, we had seven very loyal men who would load up the cots, linens, supplies and personal belongings in a horse trailer and pick up trucks and set them up at a new location every Monday,” said FCCAU Board Chairman Pat Eiler during a monthly tour offered to interested businesses and agencies.

In 2006, through an agreement worked out by County Executive David Craig, HCPL vacated some of its Belcamp space to make room for a permanent emergency shelter. After outfitting it with a small commercial kitchen and laundry facilities, the county leased space to FCCAU for a nominal fee. Initially approved to operate September through March, businesses in the industrial park recognized the shelter was operating as a good neighbor and cleared the way for year-round operations.

Some people stay at Welcome One a night or two, while others stay as long as 90 days. As many as 40 percent of the homeless who stay at Welcome One are employed or have income. Noting one resident was a recent high school graduate struggling to get on his feet, board member Allan Burke said, “It’s a real giant step to go from homelessness in an emergency shelter to an apartment.”

Executive Director Judy Merritt added, “Some people have no identification, many are on disability or have medical problems -- cancer, Parkinson’s, are pregnant or have mental health issues. If someone comes to us from living in the woods – and some do – they have to learn to live with others and care for their personal hygiene.”

More than 300 volunteers are called upon to operate the emergency shelter as well as a weekday, daytime fellowship center the FCCAU operates at a church in Edgewood. FCCAU has 16 paid full- or part-time staff members, including a caseworker to help clients locate appropriate medical and social services.

Merritt said her job is to be a good steward of funds, donations and staff time. FCCAU receives about one third of its funding from foundations, about one third from churches and other groups and the remaining third from fundraising. FCCAU has an annual golf tournament, bingo events, rock-a-thons, 5K runs, a purse auction and annual dinner. She noted, “If we had to pay rent, we couldn’t do it.”

Twenty-eight churches are on the roster for operating the Welcome One Emergency Shelter, which leaves up to three days each month to be filled piecemeal fashion by FCCAU volunteer coordinator Joe Smith. Some business and educational groups volunteer for a day once per year. Smith said, “God is good. He sends people to us all day long.”

Because the emergency shelter operates through a county lease, the facility does not promote any religious beliefs. He added, “We need 31 groups. They have a day and it rotates through the week so the day of the week is different each month. Their day starts about 4 p.m. and ends the next morning, after breakfast.”

For businesses unable to volunteer time, FCCAU maintains a wish list of items for its overnight and day shelters. Contact Welcome One Manager Susan Graper at 410-272-2229 or visit www.fccau.org to learn more.