EDGEWOOD, MD—United Way of Central Maryland held its Project Connect event in Harford County, providing residents with goods and services they may not be able to access on their own.

More than 60 vendors and 75 volunteers came out for the April 24 event which served nearly 450 people. Some of the services provided included health services, such as eye exams and blood pressure screenings, dental screenings and mental health services; housing/rental assistance; assistance with IDs and birth certificates; legal services; veterans’ services; substance abuse/addiction resources; haircuts and more.

“The beauty of this event is that we’re able to offer these resources all in one location and at no cost to residents,” said Franklyn Baker, “We find that one of the barriers to access these services is not only the cost, but the fact that people who may already face transportation barriers normally would have to travel to multiple locations to access these resources. By having a central location, where all of these services are offered, we can effectively serve a large number of residents in need. We are extremely grateful to the vendors, sponsors and volunteers who made this event possible.”

Recent data shows that about 37 percent of Harford County residents are living below the ALICE threshold (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and can’t afford the basics. Bilingual Spanish-speaking volunteers were also on-hand to help guests navigate and access resources by translating forms, requirements and other information.

Some of the vendors in attendance at the event – which took place at EPICENTER in Edgewood – included Sober Family Eye Care and Seidenberg Protzko Eye Associates, Maryland State Dental Association, Harford Bar Foundation, Maryland Legal Aid, UMD Upper Chesapeake Community Outreach, the Harford County Health Department, Harford Community College, Harford County Public Schools, Harford County Public Library, Harford Community Action Agency, among others.

Officials say this year’s United Way of Central Maryland Project Connect event was made possible thanks to support from the Dresher Foundation, APGFCU, University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, Harford Mutual Insurance Group, Harford County Public Library, The Epicenter, Sober Family Eye Care, Wegman’s, Bakery Express, Klein’s Shop Rite, Frito-Lays, Harford County Government, Harford County Public Schools, Robinson & Stover, among others.