From Mason-Dixon Community Services, Inc.
Mason-Dixon Community Services, the Harford Center, and the Harford County Department of Community Services have partnered to help reduce “food deserts” in North Harford. A food desert is an area where residents lack access to fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy options, (preferably local products), and consistent public access including transportation, walking convenience, and daily hours of operation.
Ironically, an area known for its agricultural economy, North Harford represents one of the County’s largest food deserts. Many North Harford families and seniors are “homebound”. They may not possess a car or have other means of transportation, and would need to travel considerably to reach a grocery store, produce stand or other support services.
Mason-Dixon Community Services, a non-profit social services organization with offices in northern Harford and Southeastern York Counties, has been working to address obstacles to access healthy food for more than decade. Each year they help thousands of individuals and families with a variety of essential and emergency services.
Recently Mason-Dixon’s Executive Director, Tori Dietrich conceived an idea to start a “Mobile Food Pantry” which would deliver healthy food to the door steps of homebound customers. But to make the concept a reality, they needed volunteers and a van to make deliveries.
Dietrich sought help from The Harford Center, a day habilitation and supported employment program for adults with disabilities, and a co-tenant in the Highland Common’s Building. The Harford Center had a van, and a group of willing and able individuals seeking job training and employment to support the effort.
Beginning this Summer, Harford Center participants will be paid through a grant provided by Harford County Community Services to deliver nutritious and delicious meals to at- risk individuals. Deliveries will be made every two weeks. Service will be offered in Street, Whiteford, White Hall, Jarrettsville, Forest Hill, Darlington, Dublin and northern Havre de Grace.
“My administration is eager to support this innovative partnership, which provides employment for adults with disabilities and vital services to food-insecure residents in Harford County,” said County Executive Barry Glassman. “The program exemplifies what can be accomplished when organizations collaborate to overcome challenges for our citizens.”
“Harford County is unique in its ability to form partnerships to provide the highest quality of care to its residents,” said Dietrich. “We are proud to offer this new service through the Highland, Maryland office. This venture sets the stage for a beautiful partnership and creates a sense of community in the truest sense of the word……neighbors helping neighbors.”
To learn more about the Mobile Food Pantry, or to apply for services please contact Tori Dietrich at 410.452.9025 or tdietrich@mason-dixon.org.
We already have Meals on Wheels that has been providing his same service for decades. How many of these “non-profits” are necessary?
Spoken by someone who doesn’t need services of this nature. I guess as long as you eat well it’s fine that the elderly don’t. Nice.
Hard to believe that humans have survived for thousands of years without meals on wheels. Maybe uncle sugar can deliver some free cable, a flatscreen tv and a new playstation too.
Sure, just send the old folks out into the woods to forge for food, that’ll work!
Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses. If they area about to die let them do so and decrease the surplus population.
What this county really needs is a public transportation system.
It’s a Rural, Farm Area. Not intended or built (as in roadways) for city amenities like public transportation, if you mean buses. Nor is it wanted. There is transportation available for those in need, like the elderly and disabled for medical appointments and other things via social services. This is a great program for those who’ve spent their lives here, paid and still pay plenty of taxes. Meals on wheels is not adequate. Have you ever seen what they get? In an Ag zone, where tons of fresh food is readily available and plenty thrown away, I find it strange that anyone could not be ok with this to help the citizens who’ve been living here and are getting older or sick and need a little help from their neighbors. Selfish greed is what will continue to bring our country down.
“Selfish greed is what will continue to bring our country down.”
That and a lack of responsibility by a large number of our society.
Since there are no housing projects in North Harford, who exactly are you talking about? The elderly lady who can still take care of herself, but has poor eyesight and lives on a pension? If you have kids, you’d better hope your attitude didn’t/doesn’t rub off on them. Because when you get old you’ll be singing a different tune. You might be fine now, but your life can change in a millisecond. Funny that you use the word “Society”. Apparently, you don’t even know what it means. Look it up.
North Harford, where white men cant wait to carry a big gun on their hip to intimidate ethnic minorities.
“You not from around here” with a bag of pork rinds.
“Since there are no housing projects in North Harford, who exactly are you talking about?”
Talking about all of society.
I have children. We are a very close knit family. We care for one another and do for one another. We take responsibility for one another. We also help others who need assistance from time to time. What is it about taking responsibility for ones self and actions do you not understand?
“Apparently, you don’t even know what it means. Look it up.”
“Society” – the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.
Lila. I understand completely what you are saying and am behind you 100%. There is entirely too much waste in this country.
I am only suggesting that our beautiful county is loosing some of its agricultural feel and there is a great deal of suburban sprawl that is being permitted without proper consideration about the increase in traffic.
Let’s face it. When you buy a house in this county, you are not just buying a house. You are buying a house and a car. Otherwise you are at the mercy of other people for the basic necessities of life like food.
Meals on Wheels is a life saver for those who are house bound, but I will be the first to agree with you that the fare could use a little finesse. However, I am the first to show my appreciation to those who prepare and deliver these little life-savers.
It is too easy to forget those who can’t carry signs and protests the lack of attention to their needs. It should be expected of us that we stop and look around for those who are missing from the public scene. It is too easy to drop from view when you are unable to get around easily. Not so easy to catch someone’s attention.
I am heartbroken seeing the sale of Harford’s Farmlands being turned into developments. I don’t at all want to see public transportation or see this beautiful area turned into a Suburb. I live here because of the peace, quiet and lack of suburb and city chaos. I wasn’t knocking meals on wheels, it’s a great program. But we can do better as a society. We have to stop throwing everything away. That includes food and Human Beings. I don’t understand how some don’t get that. Ok, sure somebody has a close knit family…great…well, that entire family can have something devastating happen to all of them at the same time. I would hope their neighbors will care enough to help them out. Yes, when people choose to live here they are usually able to do everything on their own. But, news Flash….Everyone gets old, everyone gets health problems eventually. None of you selfish ones are exempt. Is there some new rule that says people have to move from the home they’ve had and taken care of for 25 years and more because they got older??? People never used to be this cold and self centered. Sad.
Harford County has been a suburb of the city for decades, lack of public water and sewer in northern region have prevented the right people from moving up there.
Thats all changing. Harford County will be a democratic stronghold in about 2 decades.
As someone who has gotten old and infirmed and had to move out of my home of more than 30 years because my property taxes went so high I had to choose between them and necessary health care, I am in a position to validate ever word you wrote. I thank God for caring family members who were willing to rearrange their lives to make room for me.
When I was I in the middle of foreclosure, one of my caring neighbors called the county because I had not cut the grass. I was no longer living in the house and the bank had changed the locks on the door, but I still had to pay the county $100 to cut my grass. With caring neighbors like that, I’m glad I didn’t have to depend on them for help.
It seems to me that if you chose to live out in the country, you should know going in that you’re not going to have access to the same services you would have in an urban environment. People should not expect it and the County should not have to offer it.
When I moved here, I specifically bought a house that was in good distance to groceries and gas stations, because that’s my preference.
It’s reassuring to know that if you ever become home bound you will promptly move to a more urban environment.
asshat.
Well, talk to us when you get older or have a medical crisis and no one to help. See how you feel about it then.
Well, yay for you. Don’t call us when you get old or have an injury and need any help. If that’s the way you want it. Fine by me.
I should clarify a little bit. As a private enterprise offering this service, that’s fine and laudable, but too many are demanding such services from the government and that’s where it goes wrong.
Man, HarCo is full of some angry and bitter people. So much for compassion. Here’s hoping you don’t unexpectedly find yourselves in a similar situation, although I have a feeling you’d consider yourselves an exception to your own “Me First, Forget You” principles.
That’s capitalism coming out of their mouths. They didn’t even have those thoughts themselves. Mutual aid, generosity, and cooperation is an abomination in their minds.
Not to mention the large amount of white people in this country who make it their goal in life to intimidate minorities.
If it sucks up here to badly, you can always move back where you would be amongst your own people.
See what I’m saying? Typical Harford County, vitrol, ignorance and innuendo racism.
Move back? Born and raised in North Harford. Shame the rest of you don’t share the same political and progressive life style.
The only racist here is you.
You have done much better in North Harford than any white person living on North Avenue would have ever done. Considering your white counterpart would have been robbed, assaulted, and more than likely killed.
If it sucks so badly up here please leave, you can find affordable housing and many progressives who share your ideology all over Baltimore City and Washington DC.
Bud, where did I say I hate living here?
Typical conservative. You put words into people’s mouth and read/hear things to fit your agenda.
I never once typed hated it.
I face daily stereotypical and prejudice.
Don’t worry my man, in 20 years when I retire I’ll be smiling because the Democrat party will be a majority in North Harford.
Starving county residence are part of the rural nature of Harford county. We can’t afford to develop everywhere, maybe Euhler and and his shifty lawyers can spend their profits sending a ham sammi to the residents of Norrisville that can’t take care of them selves.
You know maybe he can particularly given that Euler wants the taxpayers to build infrastructure to the doorstep of land he purchased outside the development envelope so he can shove some more prisonesque, 5 story condos in there. This time make sure we can see the tops of the buildings from all of Fallston so they can enjoy that same view he’s so generously provided to us via those great boxes along Rte. 1. Maybe he can take that crony driven extra profit and donate it to his neighbors in memory to the food we might have had if he hadn’t been more interested in turning farms into asphalt. Is he still trying get to sue his neighbors into silence?
I just can’t wait for all the angry white people to move out of North Harford.
I’m just so glad the regular citizen of Maryland can’t get a handgun carry permit too many white people would be twirling their heater as they eat a chicken sandwich overtop the trash can at convenience stores.