Ballard Center is Changing Lives, Reducing Stress, and Easing the Burden
The Ballard Center received a Crisis Response Fund Grant to help families with tuition during the pandemic. Because of the generous support of donors to the Douglas County Disaster Response Fund, the Ballard Center was able to change lives, reduce stress, and ease the burden of our neighbors and friends when they needed it most.
From mid-March to June 1, the Ballard Center provided 4,414 meals to families in the community.
The Ballard Center also delivered 82 learning kits to our students to support children’s learning at home.
The Ballard Center also continues to serve the community through our Harvesters Mobile Food Pantry, which gets food to low income clients who are in need. The Mobile Food Pantry took place every two weeks starting on March 28. At the May 12 and May 26th Mobile Food Pantry, 708 clients were served.
"Holly is beyond thankful for the funding from DCCF to help aid her in the payment of her tuition for her toddler. Helping take the burden off by feeding her toddler two meals and a snack- Ballard helps take off the stress of another mouth to feed. So much stress was taken off of Holly when she did not have to scrounge up for the bill for her toddler’s tuition during the unpredictable COVID pandemic." - Excerpt from Holly's Story
"The burden is not only on Nancy but her daughter as well to try and make ends meet to keep her son at Ballard. Here he is guaranteed two meals and a snack and education. The funds from DCCF helped Nancy and her daughter not worry about the young three year old and his education. She cried on the phone praising God for the help- she said she can’t even afford toiletries let alone food and childcare tuition." -Excerpt from Nancy's Story
"Accepting help has been so hard, especially when I think of others in need. However, the Ballard staff has continued to remind me that there is no shame in receiving help and that helping each other is what communities do.I can honestly say that Ballard has changed our lives and given us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. Our story is just one of the thousands that could be told about how Ballard has changed and saved lives. We are so fortunate to have such an amazing community support system in Lawrence." - Anonymous Ballard Center Parent