The vision for Harford Helps began in 2016 when Alicia Hamilton, founder of Fresh Start Furnishings, noticed a pattern. Although the organization collected many essential items, it was often offered donations that were not on the program's wishlist.
This prompted donors to frequently ask the question:
“Do you know where I can donate _______?”
That blank was filled in with everything from clothing and baby items to sporting goods, books, and more. Although volunteers at the organization did their best, there was no easy or consistent way to recommend other organizations that could accept these donations. This information gap inspired Alicia to create an idea called “The Donation Directory,” which eventually became what we know today as Harford Helps.
In its early stages, The Donation Directory was envisioned as a searchable database where Harford County nonprofits could share their donation needs with charitable residents looking to donate items. Years later, the idea expanded into a directory with a threefold purpose: to connect people with local donation needs, volunteer opportunities, and places to get help.
The website would be called Harford Helps, and its mission was to “connect charitable hearts in Harford County to the needs in our community and the local organizations endeavoring to meet them.”
In 2021, the work began. A team of four including, Alicia Hamilton, Rich Bennet, Megan Ewing, and Emily Dickerson, got to work designing and building the website and directory. The Harford Helps website launched in October 2022 thanks to the support of four Founding Patrons.
In 2023, the Harford Helps team partnered with Technology 4 Causes, ensuring that the website and directory would have a sustainable home and community presence for years to come.
Today, Harford Helps serves the entire Harford County community. Residents looking to donate items or volunteer their time can search the Directory using specific keywords to find where to donate particular items or how to support causes they care about. Residents in need of services can use a different set of keywords to search for the specific resources they need.
Technology 4 Causes interns regularly maintain and manage the directory to help ensure that the community resource information remains accurate and up to date. This invaluable resource continues to be supported by community focused corporate sponsors who believe in the vision of One County, One Community.
In 2026, Harford Helps launched its first community event, Harford Helps Community Giving Day, offering even more ways to connect Harford County residents with local nonprofit organizations and their donation needs.
Stay connected by liking the Harford Helps Facebook page and subscribing to our Nonprofit Newsletter,community updates, donation opportunities, volunteer needs, and upcoming events.
To learn more about Social Progress Solutions, Technology 4 Causes, or the Harford Helps Directory, we encourage you to contact us!
