From Harford County government:
The Harford County Community Mediation Program recently recognized Harford County Bar Foundation Executive Director Nancy Mahoney as its 2016 Volunteer of the Year. The statewide recognition came at the 11th annual gala held by the nonprofit Community Mediation Maryland on May 21 at Temple Beth Shalom’s social hall in Arnold, Maryland.
Each year, Community Mediation Maryland recognizes one volunteer from each of the state’s 18 mediation programs. Nancy Mahoney was recognized for her outstanding work with the Harford County program, which is a division under the Dept. of Community Services.
Nancy first sought out a partnership with the program in 2015 to ensure that low income residents had access to conflict resolution services. She invited Susan Fisher, manager of the Harford County Mediation Program, to the Bar Foundation Law Day luncheon to discuss utilizing mediation for low income clients. This interaction led Nancy to volunteer as a member of the Mediation Commission where she helped spearhead its first-ever art card contest entitled “Ways We Make Peace – Imagine Compromise.” Nancy coordinated all facets of the contest. She enlisted the help of summer interns for marketing, worked with the local vocational school for printing, and recruited fellow commission members to help judge the contest. Her efforts resulted in participation by six summer programs and over 300 youth entry submissions. Nancy’s enthusiasm and commitment to community mediation has helped citizens, community mediators, and local attorneys discover new ways to resolve conflicts. Her efforts also created a new partnership for joint referrals.
The Harford County Community Mediation Program (HCCMP) offers mediation and facilitation services at no charge to the citizens of Harford County. Mediation provides a viable alternative to court, which can be time consuming, costly, and often fails to resolve the underlying reasons for conflict. HCCMP helps individuals resolve their conflicts in a safe neutral setting, allowing participants to freely disclose information without fear of being judged. For more information about the Mediation Program, contact 410-638-4807 or visit www.harfordmediation.org
Community Mediation Maryland (CMM) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase access to collaborative conflict resolution. CMM provides training, support, and program development for 18 programs statewide, including the Harford County program.
