Howard County Residents in Need Get the Basics from County, YMCA

Need a hot shower? Or a meal?

in Maryland, as of Monday night more than 17,000 Howard County residents have been without power for three days--and .

The and Howard County are both offering basic services to residents who have been without electricity and the comforts and necessities that come with it.

The YMCA is opening 11 wellness centers to all residents, members and non-members. At the shelters, according to a release, people will have the opportunity for hot showers and a little relaxation in an air-conditioned building. For information about a nearby center, visit the YMCA online or call 410-837-9622.

For families that need food, the county worked with Federal and Maryland Emergency Management Agencies to make available 750 Military Ready to Eat meals (MREs), according to a statement.

Two meals each will be available for residents without power at a temporary distribution site at the Dorsey Center, 9250 Bendix Road in Columbia, beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The center will remain open until 6 p.m. or until the meals are gone.

“While we are doing all that we can to assist BG&E with the restoration of power to all county residents, we know that some homes are still without service,” Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said in a statement.  

“I want to thank FEMA and MEMA for working with us to provide this small relief to families living under difficult conditions.”

And for residents in the process of cleaning up the damage caused by the heavy rain and gusty winds of Hurricane Irene, the Howard County landfill will be open late Tuesday – until 7:30 p.m. In addition to trash and recycling, residents can dispose of yard waste and wood debris, also.

For residents who have yard waste pickup with recycling, crews will pick up up to 40 pounds of bundled branches four-feet-long. Residents can drop off additional debris Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at two sites:

• Rockburn Park (entrance off Landing Road)
• Schooley Mill Park (12975 Hall Shop Road, Clarkesville