Collection for school supplies is organized by Harford County Education Foundation and will provide financially challenged Harford County students with needed classroom items.
Each year educators spend hundreds of dollars of their own money to provide school supplies for students who are unable to afford basic learning materials. For thousands of children in our community, basic school supplies are a luxury. For the past thirteen years, local businesses, educational institutions, and civic organizations have partnered with Harford County Education Foundation by collecting much needed supplies through its Stuff the Bus Campaign. Donated school supplies are picked up from businesses, then sorted, counted, packed and delivered to Harford County Public Schools for students in need before the first day of school.
“All of us at Bel Air Orthodontics cherish the opportunity to partner with our patients and their families in support of the Harford County Education Foundation’s Stuff the Bus campaign,” said Dr. Stephen Godwin, Bel Air Orthodontics. “ It is our wish that every child in Harford County is equipped to succeed in their academic endeavors.”
Last year, the Education Foundation was able to serve nearly 2400 students with school supplies. This years goal is to serve 3500 children in need of these critical resources.
“Helping a child start off on the right foot on day one builds their self-esteem and assists in their learning process,” said Warren Hamilton, Education Foundation Board Chair.
Front row (l-r):Katie Mongan, Natalie Walters
Middle row (l-r):Dr. Stephen Godwin, Melissa Graham, Colleen Mitrega
Last row (l-r):Brandi DeMarr, Helen Godwin, Sara Bender
School supplies also stock the Education Foundation’s Tools for Schools Resource Center. The Tools for Schools Resource Center is located in Bel Air, where teachers from Harford County Public Schools shop, free of charge, for school supplies for their economically challenged students throughout the school year.
“Who knows better than teachers what supplies their students require to succeed?” asked Deb Merlock, President of Harford County Education Foundation. “The Education Foundation is the year-round resource in providing school supplies to students in need. The number of students that live in poverty and are even homeless in the district is staggering and it is vitally important to equip these students with the resources they need to fully participate in learning starting on the first day of school. We believe every child deserves an equitable opportunity to grow, develop, and learn and having the tools for learning is critical to achieving educational success.”
By donating to a centralized resource center, Harford County Education Foundation is able to maximize the number of students served by allocating resources based on need. It is by this method that the Resource Center can ensure each child is provided the right school supplies, and that no child in need is turned away due to a shortage of resources.
Items needed for the Stuff the Bus campaign includes:
Collection sites for Stuff the Bus donations are located in the following Harford County businesses through September 13.
- A BRIGHT IDEA
- APG FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
- ARTISTRY IN PLASTIC SURGERY
- ARUBA SUN & SPA
- BEACON STAFFING
- BB&T BANK – BEL AIR
- BEL AIR ATHLETIC CLUB
- BEL AIR ORTHODONTICS
- BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
- CELEBREE – LAUREL BUSH
- CHOICEONE URGENT CARE – FOREST HILL, FALLSTON & ABERDEEN
- COFFEE COFFEE
- DEPT. OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
- DRAYER PHYSICAL THERAPY- ABERDEEN, BEL AIR, & EDGEWOOD
- EDWARD JONES
- EXPRESS CARE
- FIRST NATIONAL BANK
- FREEDOM FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
- THE GODDARD SCHOOL
- GOLD MEDAL PHYSICAL THERAPY
- HAMILTON SERVICE CENTER
- HAR-CO CREDIT UNION
- HARFORD BANK – BEL AIR & ABINGDON
- HARFORD COUNY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
- HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY – ALL BRANCHES
- HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS – HICKORY ST.
- HARFORD GYMNASTICS
- HARFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL – CAFETERIA
- HARFORD MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
- HOWARD BANK
- I LOVE KICKBOXING
- JONES JUNCTION
- JULIE ELLYN DESIGNS – MAIN STREET
- KELLER WILLIAMS AMERICAN PREMIER REALTY
- KELLY’S HAIR DESIGN
- KINETIC YOUTH ACADEMY
- KLEIN’S SHOPRITE – BEL AIR
- MORRIS & RITCHIE ASSOCIATES, INC. | GEO-TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATES, INC.
- MUSICLAND
- NEW DESTINY EVANGELISTIC CHURCH
- ORANGETHEORY FITNESS
- PARMOUNT DIE COMPANY
- PLANET FITNESS – ABINGDON & BEL AIR
- PNC BANK – BEL AIR
- POINT BREEZE CREDIT UNION
- RAYTHEON
- SMITHS DETECTION
- STAPLES – BEL AIR August 17 & 18
- THE ARENA CLUB
- THE YARDS AT FIELDSIDE VILLAGE
- TIC GUMS
- TOWSON UNIVERSITY – NORTHEASTERN
- UNIV OF MD UPPER CHESAPEAKE HEALTH – CAFETERIA
- WALLMART FALLSTON
- WAVE ARMSTRONG CEILINGS
- WESLEYAN CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
- WEYRICH, CRONIN & SORRA, CPA
- Y-WARD FAMILY CENTER – ABINGDON
Harford County Government Offices
- Harford County Administration Building
- Harford County Council
- Harford County Dept. of Community Services
- Harford County Office of Community & Economic Development
- Office of Community & Economic Development
Harford County Senior Activity Centers:
- Edgewood Activity Center
- Veronica “Roni” Chenowith Activity Center
- Havre de Grace Activity Center
- McFaul Activity Center
- Eden Mill Nature Center
- Anita C. Leight Estuary Center
- Edgewood Recreation & Community Center
- Mariner Point Park
- Forest Hill/Hickory Activity Center
- Churchville Recreation Cter – Glenville Bldg
- Churchville Recreation Center – Level Bldg
- Harford County Parks and Recreation Office
- Norrisville Library & Activity Center
School supply donations can also be made directly to Harford County Education Foundation by emailing [email protected]. Monetary donations are accepted at www.harfordeducation.org/donations.
Harford County Education Foundation donated over $35,000 in school supplies to Harford County classrooms this past school year, and since its formation in 2004, has also awarded more than $168,000 in college scholarships to deserving students. In addition to scholarships and supplies, the Education Foundation offers other valuable resources for the county’s 37,000 students such as the LEAD for Tomorrow high school leadership program; Books in Hand Summer Learning Program; TECH Tools, Classroom Innovation Grants, and Educator Recognition.
For more information about Harford County Education Foundation, visit www.harfordeducation.org.
About Harford County Education Foundation
Founded in 2004, Harford County Education Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit education organization that provides programs and resources to compliment the learning and growth of the 37,000 youth in Harford County Public Schools. The Education Foundation works in partnership with the community to bring critical resources to help students succeed in their academic and personal goals through middle and high school leadership programs, college and career mentoring, scholarships, free school supplies for low income students, grants to support innovative classroom instruction and celebrating the education profession with the community
