FAQs • Harford County, MD • CivicEngage

What is a mentor?: A mentor is a wise and trusted friend and guide, a source of encouragement, a positive role model, a developer of talents. A mentor is a caring adult who wants to help a young person succeed. You don't need special skills to be a mentor. You just need to care and be there! If you can volunteer one hour a week, you can make the difference in the life of a child.

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Children & Families

1. Can I attend a Women's Commission meeting?: Yes, meetings are open to the public and are held on the fourth Monday of the month, 6:45 p.m. at the McFaul Activity Center, 525 West MacPahil Road, Bel Air, MD 21014. To verify meeting time and dates, call 410-638-4739.

2. How can businesses and civic organizations help the Mentor Program?: Promote employee participation in a mentoring program. Establish a mentoring program at your worksite. Sponsor an event or underwrite the cost of program materials. Provide your expertise. Your business can help us with promotion, donation of tickets for sports or children's events for program, refreshments, computer assistance, giveaways, etc.

3. How do I volunteer?: Whether you are an individual or group wanting to volunteer, click on the "Want to Volunteer" link and you can search online for volunteer opportunities in Harford County. Our online database is searchable by category or organization and also includes information on dates, location, details, requirements and contact information for the organization. It is then up to the volunteer to contact the organization and make arrangements for their volunteer service. If you wish to receive a volunteer application by mail, call Volunteer Harford at 410-638-4444. No personal information will be given to agencies without your permission. Volunteer Harford

4. How often can I volunteer?: Whether you want to volunteer once a year, once a month or once a week, Volunteer Harford can help match you with the volunteer position that best suits your individual needs. It will ultimately be up to you as the volunteer and the organization to determine your volunteer schedule.

5. I am having difficulty in getting child support payments. Who can offer suggestions?: Call the Child Support Enforcement Bureau 1-800-332-6347 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

6. Is there a support group that I can connect with?: There are numerous support groups addressing various problems and they are listed in the Resource Guide. A copy of the Resource Guide is available through the Department of Community Services, 319 South Main Street, Bel Air, Maryland 21014. Resource Guide

7. Is there an opportunity for me to meet other women who are interested in women's issues? Can I attend a Women's Commission meeting?: Yes! The commission's meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held the 4th Monday of each month. Call 410-638-4739 or email Lisa Manfuso at women@harfordcountymd.gov for details. Women's Commission

8. What are specific support groups for domestic situations?: Two support groups for domestic situations are SARC 410-836-8430, and Anna's House 410-803-2130. For a complete listing, check out the Commission for Women Resource Guide. A copy of the Resource Guide is available through the Department of Community Services at 319 South Main Street, Bel Air, MD 21014 or from this website. Resource Guide

9. What does Volunteer Harford do?: Volunteer Harford provides personal service to potential volunteers who wish to share their time and talents. We work to match your skills and interests with an agency/organization that needs you. Volunteer Harford

10. What geographic area does Volunteer Harford serve?: Volunteers are generally sought from the Harford County area. However, we are happy to help anyone looking to volunteer if we can. The volunteer opportunities we offer come predominately from within Harford County, though some are from Baltimore and Cecil counties. Volunteer Harford

11. What is a mentor?: A mentor is a wise and trusted friend and guide, a source of encouragement, a positive role model, a developer of talents. A mentor is a caring adult who wants to help a young person succeed. You don't need special skills to be a mentor. You just need to care and be there! If you can volunteer one hour a week, you can make the difference in the life of a child.

12. What types of volunteer opportunities does Volunteer Harford have?: We currently have about 300 exciting and rewarding volunteer jobs. Some of them include emergency action, special events, mentoring, Blanketeer, gardening/landscaping, horse side walker, environmental, creating museum displays, media relations, helping in a library, clerical help, animal care, food services, helping the homeless, being a historical guide and much more. We also have special, one-time events and a calendar of events that we list on our home page. Volunteer Harford

13. Where can a person call for legal assistance in a domestic situation?: If family violence is involved call SARC 410-836-8430 If not, call the Lawyer Referral Service at the Legal Aid Bureau in Bel Air, Maryland 410-836-8202.

14. Why mentor?: A study* completed on mentoring found that young people who met regularly with their mentors were: 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to start using drugs, 33% less likely to hit someone. For many mentors, reaching out and touching the life of a young person brings much personal satisfaction and happiness. Many mentors learn more about themselves, become better listeners and are more patient.
*Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters; Nov. 1995; J.P. Tierney, J.B. Grossman, N.L. Resch