Our History

1964 - 2026

The Origin Story

Anna “Petey” Cerf purchased the Ballard Community Center from the Board of Education. The building was dedicated in 1964 to the memory of her mother, Elizabeth B. Ballard, and donated to the Community Children’s Center, Inc. for use as a community center to benefit the citizens of Lawrence and Douglas County.

The first use of the building was to house the Children’s Hour nursery school program. Later, the Community Center formed Head Start, a mentoring program, and the Ballard Center programs.

The vision for the center was that it always remain a childcare center whose purpose was to serve the low-income children and families residing in Douglas County. Since then, the agency has grown to include providing social services with the premise of serving the “whole child” through wrap-around services

Black and white photo of Anna Petey Cerf

1969-1999

Growth of Child and Family Programs

Ballard helped develop Head Start services in Lawrence while expanding beyond childcare to support entire families. Programs grew to address family stability, food access, crisis intervention, child development, and community engagement—laying the foundation for the wrap-around support model that continues to guide Ballard’s work today.

2000-2019

Wrap-Around Family Support Model

Ballard evolved into a trusted resource for the whole family, combining early childhood education with food assistance, clothing support, resource navigation, and crisis services. By addressing the interconnected needs of children and caregivers, Ballard strengthened its role as a community hub where families could find stability, support, and opportunity.

2020-2024

Modernization and Stabilization

In response to growing community needs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Ballard strengthened emergency services, expanded food access, and modernized operations. The organization focused on sustainability, strategic growth, community partnerships, and staff investment, culminating in the launch of the Living Wage Initiative to ensure educators and caregivers could thrive while serving children and families.

2025-Present

Transformation, Affordability, Living Wage, and From Surviving to Thriving

Ballard began turning possibility into reality. New spaces, affordable tuition, living-wage commitments, fresh food access, and trauma-responsive practices helped transform the organization from a place focused on surviving challenges into one positioned to help children, families, and the community thrive for generations to come.

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