There were smiles all around as over 800 attendees gathered for the third biennial Harford County Youth & Family Resource Festival on April 9 in the APGFCU Arena in Bel Air. The festival, back for the first time since the pandemic, connects families and youth of all abilities from birth to young adulthood with local resources and organizations. It was presented by the Harford County Department of Community Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families and Office of Disability Services under the administration of County Executive Barry Glassman.
More than 100 local exhibitors shared important resources with families on topics including summer camps, tutoring, summer employment, services for children with disabilities and delays, behavioral health services, college application support, and fingerprinting and ID services.
Cindy Moomaw, grandmother of four, said, “The festival had a wonderful display of many services for youth and family activities that were available all in one location. Many of the behind-the-scenes details were efficiently taken care of and there was something for everyone!”
Entertainment at the event included character appearances from the 501st Legion and the Party Owl; Buttons, a miniature horse from Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding; interactive presentations from U.S. Taekwondo Academy; and musical entertainment from 91.1 WHFC FM at Harford Community College. Exhibitors also provided many additional interactive activities for children and adults.
“Our 2022 resource festival was an outstanding success, linking families to resources and raising awareness among service providers about available programs,” Amber Shrodes, director of Harford County Department of Community Services, said. “We are deeply grateful to all of our sponsors, donors, partners, and volunteers, especially to Harford Community College for their continued support.”
The Havre de Grace Arts Collective was among the organizations in attendance. Executive Director Rebecca Jessop said, “It was very well organized and provided a great opportunity to connect with many community residents. Great job!”
APGFCU was an event sponsor. Brian Wilcox, chief marketing officer said, “Sponsoring this year’s Youth and Family Resource Fair was a natural fit for APGFCU. We are focused on helping people improve their financial lives and on generational wealth building. It all begins with youth and families. We invest many resources into promoting financial literacy through programs in schools and community organizations, and in our youth savings programs.”
Harford County Department of Community Services would like to thank all the sponsors including APGFCU, Ashley Treatment Centers, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc Xi Delta Omega Chapter, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, Bel Air Athletic Club, Chosen Community Development Center, Harford County Department of Social Services, Harford Community College Camp Curiosity, Harford Day School, Maryland Department of Disabilities, Maryland Relay, Norkris Services, Patient First, Towson University NE Maryland, and Verbal Beginnings.
To see a full photo gallery of this year’s festival, visit
https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/3054/Youth-Family-Resource-Festival.
