How to Give Back in Bel Air, MD This Holiday Season (2026)

Published Oct. 30, 2026 | Last updated: Oct. 30, 2026

Want to give back in Bel Air this holiday season? Start here. Drop a new, unwrapped toy at the Bel Air Library for the Empty Stocking Fund. Call a Bel Air church pantry and ask what they need. Or adopt a family through Anna's House.

Bel Air is the county seat, and it has a lot of ways to help. I list dates only when the group has posted them for 2026. If they haven't, I tell you to check back.

This is part of my county guide, How to Give Back in Harford County This Holiday Season. Head there for the countywide drives.

Toy Drop-Offs in Bel Air

Empty Stocking Fund

The Empty Stocking Fund is a local nonprofit run by volunteers. It helps Harford families at the holidays with toys, food and clothing. Bring a new, unwrapped toy, game or craft item to one of its Bel Air drop spots:

• Bel Air Library, 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
• Truist Bank, Bel Air Main, 402 Baltimore Pike
• The Arena Club, 2304 Churchville Rd.
• The Kelly Group, 48 E. Gordon St.
• Harco-co Credit Union, 3422 Emmorton Rd.
• First National Bank, Redner's Shopping Center, 2128 N. Fountain Green Rd.

Their list has more Bel Air shops, salons and gyms too. Confirm before you go.

Other Toy Drives

• Toys for Tots: The 2026 Harford drop-off list isn't confirmed yet. Check back on their site.
• Breathe 379: Their 2026 toy drive delivers on Dec. 13. Drop zones aren't posted yet. Check back on their site.

Bel Air Food Pantries

Bel Air churches run food pantries all year. If you want to donate, call first and ask what they're low on. These come from HCAA's October 2026 pantry list:

The county's main food bank is the Harford Community Action Agency in Edgewood. It takes food Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Top needs include pasta, peanut butter, canned soup, instant mashed potatoes, diapers and toiletries.

Harford County's Thanksgiving food drive page lists drop spots at county buildings in Bel Air, but it doesn't show 2026 dates yet. Check back on the county's page.

Adopt a Family

Anna's House (Catholic Charities): Their 2026 Adopt-a-Family program is open. They match you with a family and give you the wish list. You can also give money or gift cards, or help wrap and deliver. Call Gerald Ford at (667) 600-2843.

Give While You Shop and Eat

Harford Family House helps people without a home in Harford County. For Homelessness Awareness Month, it lists these Bel Air benefits:

• Broom's Bloom Dairy, all November: a benefit for Harford Family House. I wrote up Broom's Bloom here.
• The Arena Club yoga class, Sat., Nov. 7, 10 to 11 a.m.: a benefit class at 2304 Churchville Rd.
• Electric Daisy bouquet bar, Wed., Nov. 25, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.: build a fall bouquet at Coffeebar Bel Air, 5 N. Main St., Suite 1H. Proceeds go to Harford Family House.

They also run a supply drive all month for non-perishable food, paper products and plasticware.

My Take

Bel Air makes giving easy. You can drop a toy at the library on the way to Main Street and grab a coffee that helps a neighbor. Pick one thing and do it this week.

Thinking about living in Bel Air? See my Bel Air town page and the Bel Air real estate market update. For holiday fun, check out Christmas in Bel Air and the Bel Air Christmas Parade.

More giving guides:

• Havre de Grace
• Aberdeen
• Abingdon
• Edgewood and Joppa
• Fallston
• Forest Hill
• Jarrettsville, Street and Northern Harford

FAQ

Where can I drop off toys in Bel Air, MD?

The Empty Stocking Fund lists Bel Air drop-off spots, including the Bel Air Library at 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave. and Truist Bank at 402 Baltimore Pike. Confirm before you go.

Where are the food pantries in Bel Air, MD?

HCAA's October 2026 list includes Bel Air United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Calvary Baptist Church, St. Matthew Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Call first to ask what they need.

Can I adopt a family for Christmas in Bel Air?

Yes. Anna's House through Catholic Charities runs a 2026 Adopt-a-Family program and matches you with a family's wish list. Call (667) 600-2843.

Are there holiday fundraisers in Bel Air in November 2026?

Harford Family House lists a bouquet bar benefit at Coffeebar Bel Air on Nov. 25 and a benefit yoga class at The Arena Club on Nov. 7.

Where is the main food bank near Bel Air?

The Harford Community Action Agency food bank is at 1321-B Woodbridge Station Way in Edgewood. It takes food donations Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

About the author: Josh Tessier is a Harford County REALTOR® with the Lee Tessier Team at eXp Realty, based in Bel Air. He has 16+ years in real estate and has sold 600+ homes personally (5,900+ for the Lee Tessier Team). He lives in Harford County and is raising his family here. Call or text (443) 617-2099.

Watch more on my YouTube channel, Josh Talks Harford, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

Header photo: “Belairmainstreet” by Orade, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped, with text added.

Sources

Checked Oct. 30, 2026.

1. Empty Stocking Fund, home page (host)
2. Empty Stocking Fund, Drop Locations (host)
3. Toys for Tots Harford County (host; would not load for me)
4. Breathe 379, Christmas with Breathe (2026 toy drive dates and wish list) (host)
5. Harford Community Action Agency, Harford County Food Pantries, October 2026 (PDF) (pantry names, addresses, phones)
6. Harford Community Action Agency, Food Pantry (address, phone, hours, wish list, volunteer tasks) (host)
7. Harford County Government, Thanksgiving Food Drive (host; no 2026 dates posted)
8. Anna's House (Catholic Charities) Adopt-a-Family release, posted by the Harford County Chamber of Commerce (Oct. 27, 2026) (host's own text)
9. Harford Family House, Homelessness Awareness Month (host)
10. Harford Family House, Events (dates, times, venues) (host)
11. Josh Tessier, about