Hi, my name is Ballard Community Services.

Under United Way’s focus area of Building Successful Families, Children, and Youth–supporting quality childcare, school readiness and safe, enriching environments for children and youth.

Per their mission, Ballard Community Services is an organization that provides a high quality, affordable early education program and essential basic life assistance for families and individuals in need. Arms of the organization include Children’s Programs, Human Service Programs and the food and clothing pantry, Penn House.

Last year alone, Ballard served over 9,000 individuals from Lawrence, with an additional 700 from surrounding communities.

A staff of six oversees a number of volunteers and works with a 20-person advisory board.

Philosophy behind the Early Education Program is to provide a quality, developmental and age-appropriate learning environment for all children, ages one through five. The Ballard Community Center is also the administrative agency for the Emergency Services Council. ESC works with other agency consortium members to provide emergency assistance for people dealing with utility disconnection and eviction notices. And Penn House continues to operate the largest free clothing pantry in Douglas County, which includes My Sister’s Closet.

Current items of need in the food pantry are diapers (all sizes), wipes, and non-perishable food items.

Ballard Community Services receives funding support from a variety of sources such as fundraisers, donations and Douglas County United Way.

Penn House is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The Ballard Center is open 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/blogs/entry_img/2009/Aug/20/Ballard.jpg

June 12, 2007. Hazel Hunt, 3, helps her mother Chris Hunt, Lawrence, wife of Paul Hunt, director of human services at Ballard Community Center, 708 Elm St., box canned food at the center. The Conscious Alliance out of Boulder, Colo., collected more than 5,000 pounds of food items donated by Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival attendees. Workers with Conscious Alliance delivered the items Monday to the Ballard Center food bank. Photo by Mike Yoder.

Learn more at www.ballardcenter.org.