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Hagerstown Area Religious Council

The Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) is a coalition of churches and houses of faith in the Hagerstown area of Washington County.

HARC Executive Director

Please help STOP DHCD Homeless Shelter Certification Bills

UPDATE 3/7/25 – email from the office of Delegate Todd B. Morgan:

The bill was supposed to be voted on Wednesday by committee but was not. It has been put on hold until next week.

The bill is a Department of Housing and Community Development bill. I recommend emailing and calling Secretary Jake Day’s office to let him know your concerns for the bill. The department can scale this back or make changes, but as of now they have been resistant. Delegate Todd Morgan has been trying to get it amended or stopped, but so far has not been successful.

Secretary Day –  jake.day@maryland.gov
301-429-7452

Please share the email and phone number to others who are opposed to the bill.

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The Homeless Coalition of Washington County and Reach have asked for the community’s help in stopping a Maryland state bill (cross-filed in House and Senate, so actually 2 bills).  The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has cross filed legislation to create a Homeless Shelter Licensing Program, using Maryland Law dictating shelter rules and policies. Our community needs your help to advocate to the Delegates and Senate to stop this legislation that would literally close 50-80 shelter beds in Washington County, and over 1,000+ shelter beds across the state! 

Here’s an updated request from Jeannie Asbury, Reach & Homeless Coalition, March 3, 2025:

Hello Friends,
We appreciate your support to advocate for shelters and the vulnerable people we serve across the state. The representatives from each jurisdiction need to hear the severity of giving blanket authority to DHCD. Please share this and help us stop this bill in the House and Senate. The 2nd readings will be in the next week or so, and we need to let them know to vote against this bill. In an effort to make it easier for our friends to advocate, we have a short letter template anyone can use or edit for additional or personalized points.
 
Please take a few minutes to send a quick e-mail to the chairs and vice chairs of each of the committees sponsoring the bills (see contact info below) sharing your concerns to not pass these bills and share with any networks in the other counties. The sooner in the process we advocate, the less likely it will make it through, and we’ve been told that “flooding” our legislators’ inboxes is the most effective way to advocate.
Sample SENATE/HOUSE Email:
 
Dear _____,
I am writing to ask you to NOT pass the Homeless Shelter Certification Bill SB0234/HB0093. While it may be well-intended, if passed this legislation will result in closing over 1,000+ shelter beds across the state!  With all of our county’s shelters full and many more people unhoused, we cannot afford to lose these vital resources.
Many shelters across the state are operated by houses of worship that give people hope, or that have safety guidelines in place for the vulnerable people in their shelters. The proposed legislation puts undue burden on these safe, well-run shelters to operate in ways against their beliefs or safety of residents, with threats of exorbitant fines that they can’t afford.
Please do not give blanket authority to one agency to dictate shelters across the state. 70% of the shelters in Maryland do NOT accept dollars from DHCD. This bill would give them authority over all shelters to force their guidelines for services. This bill is about control, not protecting the vulnerable. The study from last year’s bills began in July, yet they submitted this bill in October before they finished their review. We should consider the long-term impact of passing these bills. If this is about safely, why are they attempting to eliminate shelter practices in place to protect these vulnerable individuals? Why are they attempting to force family shelters to allow individuals with active criminal charges (except those with sex offense, what about domestic violence, B&E drug dealing, etc.?), actively using drugs or alcohol, or forcing men and women to share bathroom facilities? These bills would not allow them to operate with these crucial safety precautions in place that truly protect the vulnerable they serve.
People are not animals; people can CHOOSE to use a shelter or not. Animal shelters are regulated because the participants do not have a choice; they also euthanize violent participants. This bill would not even permit our shelters to bar violent participants for more than 30 days! How does that protect the other vulnerable shelter participants!?
Please do not pass this bill!
Thank you!
 
 
After reading this Phase 1 Report SB1107Ch152(2024)HB577Ch151(2024).pdf, I am also concerned these bills will take away our ability to conduct search or to bar (terminate) anyone for violating our safety rules. I hear the statement regarding vulnerable people and agree with most of the standards; however, the main concerns with this bill fall under the Admissions/Terminations section. This bill is to control the shelters operating because they could not incentivize with funding. They tried to control with funding, but only 30% of shelters in the state (as stated in their hearing presentation) accept their funding. So, now they are attempting to create a law to control all shelters in the state regardless of funding.
 
  • If this is about safely, why are they attempting to eliminate shelter practices in place to protect these vulnerable individuals? Why are they attempting to force family shelters to allow individuals with active criminal charges (except those with sex offense, what about domestic violence, B&E drug dealing, etc.), actively using drugs or alcohol, or forcing men and women to share bathroom facilities? These bills would not allow them to operate with these crucial safety precautions in place that truly protect the vulnerable they serve.
  • The Salvation Army requires identification due to the fact they serve women and children. This is to protect the children in case they are not with their legal guardians.
  • St. Johns does a background to ensure that they are not placing anyone with an active or recent criminal charge. This is for the protection of the children, and other shelter residents as their shelter units are individual apartment units, without paid staff.
  • The Salvation Army is for women and children only. This is due to the shared bathroom and shared room facilities of their shelter. It would not be appropriate or safe to have men in that facility. This bill states they cannot determine family status or composition.
  • None of our shelters allow shelter residents to use drugs in the shelter. Would this bill force all of us to allow that behavior?
  • The Rescue Mission/Hope Center believes they bring hope to people with a 7-minute service prior to meals and shelter. They feel any other services are secondary. They do not force joining their faith but provide 7-minute sermon. If this bill passes and they cannot do that part, they will not continue the shelter and instead focus on their faith-based services. All Rescue Missions across the state feel the same way.
  • If this bill passes, The Salvation Army, St. Johns Family Shelter and the Mission will close. Those are the 50-80 shelter beds in Washington County alone, over a 1,000 across the state.
  • The threat of a $10,000 fine will be concerning enough to deter the volunteer led, and faith-based shelters across the state. Again, if this is about safety, why not work directly with the municipalities of those concerning shelters?
  • Accessibility- What about shelters that are not accessible due to age or layout of the buildings?
  • Terminations- Phase 1 would force Reach and all shelters to continue to serve individuals who violate safety rules, which includes violence, threating behavior, using drugs in the shelter, etc. after 30 days? If this was the policy, we would lose MOST of our staff and volunteers. We cannot operate without either.

 

 

Remembering Ed Poling

HARC grieves the loss of long-time member, volunteer and advocate Rev. Ed Poling, who passed away last week following a long journey with cancer. He is a loss to HARC and the community, but his spirit and impact will be felt indefinitely.

Ed was part of the team that started the Interfaith Coalition (now HARC Interfaith Team) in 2002, building relationships and understanding among faith groups.  Through this, he helped start the Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service which is held each year; this year Ed was the featured speaker.  Ed also started the Good Friday Cross Walk (now Unity Walk), bringing Christians of all denominations together for this holy day; he led the planning for this event for many years and continued to participate through 2024.

While he was a gentle and kind soul, Ed also had great energy and drive. With his love of running and hiking and devotion to HARC’s purpose and vision, Ed started the HARC Hike in 2012 when he hiked the 42 miles of

Ed Poling wraps him self in his new super soft HARC Hike t-shirt quilt

the Appalachian Trail in Maryland all in one day to raise funds for HARC. It was his leadership and logistical skills that helped us make this into a real fundraiser for HARC, Micah’s Backpack, and now the Refugee Welcome Network, growing each year and raising more than $240,000 over the last twelve years. Ed personally raised more than $45,000 with this hike, most of which was while leading the 20-mile Challenge Hike on the AT, while still coordinating the main hike on the C&O Canal Towpath.

Because of his great contributions to HARC and because HARC wouldn’t have the HARC Hike for Hunger & Hope without his gifts and dedication, we have decided to rename the event the Ed Poling Memorial Hike for Hunger & Hope in his honor.

Ed was an incredible blessing to HARC to the community, and to many of us personally. We will all miss him greatly, but we know that he is whole and at peace, living his next life with the Lord our God to the fullest.

A memorial service for Ed Poling will be held on February 1, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Hagerstown Church of the Brethren. It will be preceded by a visitation at the church at 10:00. Following the service there will be a meal and a time for sharing memories.  Here is a link to his obituary.

Here is a Remembering Ed Poling tribute in pictures from HARC’s Annual Meeting January 14.  You can also view the recording of the 11/19/24 Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service to see Ed speak about gratitude amid his battle with cancer. We’re so grateful he was able to be part of this service.

Afghan refugee receives Certificate of Excellence for work at FedEx

Khan shows his Certificate of Excellence from FedEx, with Jane Powell

“Khan works at FedEx, often 10 hour days, and does so joyfully, happy to be there” shared Jane Powell, Refugee Welcome Network (RWN) volunteer and “ally” for Khan and his family.  In October, his hard work was recognized by FedEx when he received a Certificate of Excellence. This was a great joy for both Khan and Jane!”

I’m soooo proud of him I don’t know what to do,” Jane exclaimed.  “Oddly, he says the same of me!!!”  Jane has also learned and grown in her work with Khan and other refugees, and has become a friend to him and others.

Not only does Khan work hard at FedEx, but he also works hard to commute home each day after his long shifts. At 10:00 pm, he takes the Hopewell Express to Hagerstown, then Lyft home, since he lives on the north east end of town.  He found this way himself to cut down on the cost of Lyft since the Hopewell Express is free.  The Lyft rides are also currently free, thanks to the Rides United program of the United Way of Washington County, MD; the codes have saved Khan and his family hundreds of dollars in transportation costs. RWN Transportation Team volunteers have been taking Khan to work in the mornings, and they have also been driving his adult son and daughter to work at Amazon. The ride support has not only saved the family money, but ensured they could get to work on time without long and complex commutes.

Khan and Farida and their four children arrived in the U.S. on January 31, 2024 and came to Hagerstown shortly after, where the RWN began working with them. They were fortunate to have won the “lottery” to escape from Afghanistan with permanent residency granted to them in the U.S.  Yet getting here cost them the life they had – including a store that they owned and savings – and they had to start all over in a new country with work permits, but no English language skills. Since then, Khan has taught himself a solid level of English – “so much so that we can hold a conversation without Google!!!” says Jane.

With support and friendship from our RWN members, a church who paid their rent for one month (thank you First Christian Church!), and with their strength and determination to thrive in their new home, Khan and Family are now working hard and contributing to the Washington County Community, both economically and personally, with their kind spirits and beautiful culture. HARC and RWN are proud of them and grateful to call them friends, along with many other refugee families and individuals we’ve worked with this year.

A final note – Khan loves watching WWE wrestling; if you do, too, let us know if you want to make a new friend!

The Refugee Welcome Network is blessed to have many generous volunteers and donors, but we always need more help.  Allies to work with families like Khan’s are especially needed – walking side-by-side with a new friend isn’t always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding and we’ll train and walk with you as you do so. We also need volunteers to haul furniture; if you have a truck, that’s hugely helpful.  As tax season approaches, volunteers willing to help families with taxes are also needed. There are many other volunteer roles that also help. Current household goods needs include: iron and ironing board, blender, vacuum cleaner, and 2 TV’s. If you can help with any of these, please contact refugeewelcome@harc.datachievereview.xyz or 301-842-4272.  If you can’t help with those, a financial gift is a HUGE help as well – you can donate here.
 

HARC awarded $50,000 grant from the Knott Foundation for Micah’s Backpack!

It is with much gratitude and joy that HARC announces a new $50,000 grant for Micah’s Backpack from the Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Foundation.  “The Knott Foundation (TKF) is a Catholic family foundation committed to honoring our founders’ legacy of generosity to strengthen our community.”  Based in Baltimore, the foundation focused on strengthening communities in central and western Maryland, while honoring the Knott legacy of giving. Learn more on their website.

This is the first time HARC has received a grant from the Knott Foundation.  It comes at a time of great need as the number of children in our community in need of Micah’s Backpack has soared.  We are currently serving 1,236 children in 37 schools all over Washington County, and anticipate the number to exceed 1,300 by the end of the school year. The Micah’s Backpack Steering Team is overjoyed to have much-needed funds to support our many sponsoring churches and organizations in their work to provide weekly bags of food to children in our community.

Funds will be used to purchase food for the Micah’s Backpack program through our partner, the Maryland Food Bank, reducing the cost of food for sponsoring churches and organizations.

Children in our community are the true recipients of this important grant funding.  What students say they like about Micah’s Backpack (from spring 2024 surveys):

  • Helps thru the weekend.
  • It’s free
  • What I like about is how it’s not judgmental to people who need food
  • The way we get food when mom doesn’t have the money for food every week
  • They add food to my house when times get hard. me and my brothers can always look in the bags when we don’t have food at home
  • That they give you food on weekends so you don’t go hungry on weekends
  • It comes with cereal and it is easy to make for my brother

Thank you to the Knott Foundation for this incredible gift!

Sacred Listening Circles (Group Spiritual Direction)

Hebron Mennonite Church in Hagerstown will be offering a program of group spiritual direction starting in October. Through monthly small groups (4-6 persons), participants will gather to pray and share with one another where they sense the presence of God in their lives. The small group serves as a spiritual director/companion in listening and helping each person discern their spiritual path. These groups become sacred listening circles as they pray for one another.

Leadership for these sessions will be provided by Ed Poling, retired Church of the Brethren pastor and trained spiritual director, and Rebecca Rothenhoeffer, United Methodist layperson, personal coach and trained group spiritual direction facilitator. Sessions will be held at Hebron Mennonite Church on the first Tuesday of each month starting on October 1 and concluding in May. An additional session will be held on the fourth Tuesday of October. The regular meeting time is 3 hours from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.  The first and last sessions will be six-hour retreats from 3:00-9:00 pm for orientation and evaluation. Each participant will be asked to read Howard Thurman’s book Deep is the Hunger: Meditations for Apostles of Sensitiveness.

There is no cost for the eight-month program. However, a love offering will be taken to help underwrite the cost of the use of the building. The church is located at 13315 Highlane Street, Hagerstown. For more information and a brochure, contact Ed Poling at 301-766-9005 or elpoling1@gmail.com.

Micah’s Backpack Sponsors Needed!

Food insecurity and hunger have risen drastically in Washington County as a result of inflation, the high cost of housing, the loss of several pandemic funding programs, and other factors. We’re grateful for the many food programs that serve our community, helping families who are food insecure. Micah’s Backpack fills the gap when families don’t have access to these programs or it’s not enough – and the number of children who need Micah’s Backpack has grown tremendously, serving 1,246 children this past school year. Schools anticipate the number will continue to rise, and our current sponsoring churches & organizations are stretched thin. We need more sponsors! Could your church/house of worship/organization commit to partnering with a school to serve at least 5 children in the coming school year so that no child will go hungry? The Micah’s Backpack Steering Team will train you, HARC will support you with grant-funded food (about half to 2/3 of what you will need), and we have a community of support from 48 other sponsoring churches/orgs. For more information, please contact Kathy, 301-842-4272 or director@harc.datachievereview.xyz. Thank you for considering this important program!!

150 Families to be served with Rural Summer Food Outreach

On July 15 and 16 approximately 40 volunteers total hauled and packed more than 10,000 pounds of food into boxes for families for the Micah’s Backpack Rural Summer Food Outreach. The project was funded by the Community Foundation of Washington County, managed by WCPS Pupil Personnel Worker Michelle Talbert-Smith along with HARC and the Maryland Food Bank, Western Branch, and hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who provided the space and many of the volunteers.

One hundred and fifty families in rural areas of Washington County will be served by the food, which will be hand delivered by WCPS Pupil Personnel Workers starting this week. Families were chosen due to their food insecurity and difficulty accessing area food pantries and other WCPS summer food programs.  Each family will receive staples such as oil, cereal, pasta, spaghetti sauce rice, mac & cheese, canned tuna and chicken, soups, peanut butter and jelly, canned fruit, canned vegetables, and snacks.

Micah’s Backpack serves more than 1,200 children each weekend throughout the school year filling the gap when school is out.  The program does not operate over the summer and the Micah’s Backpack Steering Team was concerned about food insecurity over the summer for these families.  The WCPS Meal Machine operates in key locations in Hagerstown throughout the summer, but not in rural areas.  Another WCPS program is offering weekly food throughout the summer for families in rural areas, but families need transportation to those locations and have a limited window of time to pick up the food.  The Rural Summer Food Outreach will serve families who are not able to access these programs. We are grateful to the Community Foundation for their financial support which made this program possible!  And thanks so much to everyone who helped with this project! Prayers for the PPWs who are out in the heat delivering the food this week!

Thank You from a Refugee and Current Needs

The Refugee Welcome Network (RWN) is excited to celebrate the success of several refugees lately that were helped by our team. Here is another note of thanks from a young woman in our community:

I am very grateful for your kind words and your support throughout my journey as a refugee in the U.S. You have been a great help and a source of inspiration for me and my family. Thank you for everything you have done for me. …I will always remember your generosity and compassion. I am proud of what I have achieved so far, and I am hopeful for the future. I will keep in touch with you and my ally, and I will update you on my progress. Thank you again for everything. You are amazing people and I am lucky to have you as friends.

Sincerely,
Z. A., Afghan refugee

Z.A. is working at Amazon, fully supporting herself, and learning how to drive. Congratulations to Z.A. on her achievements!

Are you interested in working with an individual or family to help them achieve independence?  If so, we would love your help!  You will be trained and paired with another ally in this important and rewarding work.  “I believe I get more out of this than they do,” said Ted Howe, RWN Ally.  “I have gained new friends.”

Other volunteer needs include: help with workforce development, fundraising, legal assistance (no experience needed), and procurement and moving of furniture and household furnishings.  Learn more about RWN and volunteering here.

Also needed:  a sofa and a washer & dryer.

God’s Grace Fund match for HARC Hike totaled $36,000

Thursday, June 20 HARC’s Hike Planning Team held a check presentation for the God’s Grace Fund matching donation for the HARC Hike for Hunger and Hope. Thanks to a record year of fundraising and the generosity of the God’s Grace Fund, the matching gift was $36,000, bringing the total Hike proceeds to approximately $77,000.  Mike Johnston presented the check to the team and other HARC leaders at a celebration and debrief for the event.

“This is an incredible gift and will make a huge difference in the work we do,” said Kathy Powderly, Executive Director.  “We estimate the gift will provide 15,000 meals for children in our community through Micah’s Backpack, help 30 refugees with housing and other needs, and much more.

Thank you to Mike Johnston and the God’s Grace Fund for providing this generous match and the inspiration to fuel fundraising for the HARC Hike.  HARC is also grateful to the Hike Planning Team and Fundraising Team for their efforts to make this event the most successful ever and a great time for participants.

Pictured from left to right:
Rachel Nichols, HARC Board Member, Butch Eigenbrode of the Antietam Radio Association, HARC Hike founder Rev. Ed Poling, Mike Johnston, Bill Pike, Kathy Powderly, Beth Johnston, Deacon Sue Wert, Brenda Horsch, and Ed Maloy.  Hike Planning Team and Fundraising Team members not present: Kelly Conrad, Meg Ducey and Kathleen Wood.

Save the Date!

November 22 at 4:00 pm. Join us for this uplifting service featuring Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Baha’i, and Buddhist traditions.

Details