Ballard Community Services

Family members of the late Ida Ballard Simon established BALLARD COMMUNITY SERVICES (BCS) in 2007 to continue her legacy of encouraging inner city youth to seek education beyond high school and engaging in activities that improve the quality of life for others in her community. Thus, her long-lasting impact on the lives of others gave birth to the organization's primary mission and activities that focus on generating and awarding post high school educational scholarships to talented youth and developing their character via volunteerism in community improvement projects. Ida attended Carver High School (class of 1967) in Memphis, TN. and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri (w... read more Family members of the late Ida Ballard Simon established BALLARD COMMUNITY SERVICES (BCS) in 2007 to continue her legacy of encouraging inner city youth to seek education beyond high school and engaging in activities that improve the quality of life for others in her community. Thus, her long-lasting impact on the lives of others gave birth to the organization's primary mission and activities that focus on generating and awarding post high school educational scholarships to talented youth and developing their character via volunteerism in community improvement projects. Ida attended Carver High School (class of 1967) in Memphis, TN. and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri (with no money) and graduated with honors. She passionately wanted to give back to her alma mater and spoke of her experiences at Lincoln as some of the most wonderful times of her life! In later years, she returned to Lincoln University as Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Lincoln University Foundation. Ida was posthumously inducted into The Lincoln University Hall of Fame in 2005. Family and friends honored Ida's memory by sending donations to Lincoln University to establish a scholarship fund in her name. Ida's family continued efforts to build the scholarship fund by hosting various fund-raising events such as the annual Ida Ballard Simon (IBS) Memorial Golf Tournament that began in 2008 and continues today. Through the non-profit agency developed by the family to continue Ida's legacy, Ballard Community Services (BCS), the organization's activities expanded beyond scholarships funded by the annual IBS Memorial Golf tournament to include projects that focus on youth character development and community improvements. To date, additional projects conducted by BCS are community clean-up projects, home renovations and building affordable housing. The clean-up projects involve clearing trash from streets and vacant lots along major though-fares in the South Memphis area. Area youth, businesses, and churches joined forces in these drives. The renovations and building of affordable housing are conducted in one of the most neglected areas of South Memphis, TN. These projects are designed to improve neighborhood pride and aesthetics and encourage young people to remain or move back to these abandoned neighborhoods. Enhancing a sense of pride and ownership in the community, character and community development as well as providing a decent, safe environments to live and thrive are the goals of these activities. As funding increases, other planned projects include: recurring clean-up projects such as mowing vacant lots, picking up trash in more neighborhoods and streets; and planting flowers, shrubs, and bushes promoting urban community garden projects. These projects are designed to encourage community pride, lawn care and maintenance, healthier lifestyles and the generation of more neighborhood associations and community networking events and activities mentoring youth between the ages of 9 and 17 years old. The youth will learn interpersonal relationships skills, personal finance, career development and grooming for success providing summer youth sports programs for the community youth between the ages of 9 and 17 years old. The sport programs will include basketball, baseball, softball, football, golf and tennis. The organization plans to provide the youth with uniforms and the equipment needed for the various sports activities. The equipment will include baseball bats, balls, gloves, helmets, rackets, shoes, pads, and cubs; and hosting a community Spring/Fall Health Fair Fest in partnership with community neighbors, area hospitals and the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department. We hope to enlist the help of the faith-based community to solicit their congregations to attend the event. Through the efforts of volunteers and corporate donors, we hope to make this a semi-annual event to inform and encourage youth and urban families regarding the importance of maintaining good healthy lifestyles.