Serving 900 households each year, LARS is a source of hope and relief for members of the Laurel community who struggle to meet their basic needs. At its Community Crisis Center, help may mean rental assistance after an unexpected illness causes lost hours at work, or a bag of groceries so a family does not have to choose between buying food and filling a prescription. Case managers connect clients to comprehensive social services and work with them to set goals and build skills in areas like personal finance, education, employment, and mental and physical well-being. And for individuals and families coping with chronic homelessness and disabilities, LARS provides subsidized housing and supportive services to get them off the streets and on the path to stability. Support here means a lifeline in crisis … and a path to independence.

Headquarters: MD-Prince George's County

Where They Operate: MD-Prince George's County; MD-Howard County; Laurel - including zip codes 20707, 20708 (Prince George's County), 20723 (Howard County), and 20724 (Anne Arundel County)

Age Groups Served: All

Population(s) Served: Individuals with Disabilities; Individuals who identify as LGBTQ; Individuals living with HIV/AIDs; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students; Veterans/Military Families; Immigrants/Refugees


  • Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) we serve annually:   1660
  • Individuals housed (temporary shelters, transitional housing, permanent housing) annually:   42
  • Number of volunteers who work with us annually:   557
  • Bags of food distributed annually:   8337
  • Number of evictions prevented/Households assisted with rent:   95

Awards & Recognition

Guidestar Platinum Participant (2017)
Capital Area Food Bank Partners for Wellness (2015)

Press

  • Laurel nonprofit marks three decades of helping 'get back on track'
    Tue Jun 6 2017, Laurel Leader  
    "To ask for help doesn't mean you are a failure. It means that everyone will at some point need help."
    connect here

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

About Spur Local

Every year, 190+ local nonprofits (with budgets under $4M) apply to join the Spur Local network. 170+ community volunteers assess these applications for impact. 100% of organizations are site visited and financially reviewed. Finally, 76+ critical, local nonprofits are selected for inclusion in Spur Local's annual print and digital catalog, and enter a four-year partnership with us. Since 2003, we have raised over $65 million for nonprofits across the Greater Washington region. We charge no fees and raise funds separately to support our work.

Spur Local looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Consider a small contribution to Spur Local to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve!

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