History

The Harford Center is celebrating 60 years in Harford County! Click the buttons below to peruse photos, brochures, and newspaper articles from the last 60 years!

The Harford Center started in 1961 in the living room of Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Palmer. The program originally served children and adults with severe and profound disabilities. The program soon outgrew the living room and was moved to a building on Hays Street in Bel Air. From there, the Program moved to a church building on N. Main Street in Bel Air where it remained until October, 1978. The Program then moved to its present location at 4 N. Earlton Road in Havre De Grace, previously known as the Liberty Baptist Church and School. On June 7, 1971, the Center became a quasi-public board. In September, 1978, the school-age children were absorbed into the public school system. Since then, the Center has provided a day-habilitation program for adults over the age of 21.

The Harford Center is set apart from other service providers in the provision of individualized programming for people with severe and profound cognitive limitations and multiple disabilities.

In July, 2014, the Center opened a second site at 708 Highland Road in Street Maryland. The Street location’s programming focuses on pre-vocational skills, job development, and supported employment.

We have come a long way as an organization and a community. We look forward to a future where every person we support is fully integrated into the community through employment, volunteer work, and recreation, and where each person has the opportunity to have a meaningful day every day.