The opportunity to work alongside our amazing team at Ballard is truly a dream come true. As the Development Director for the past two years, I have been blessed with a chance to learn from one of our greatest community advocates, Becky Price.Having Becky as a mentor has made a profound impact on my life. She is a non-stop force of nature advocating for the less fortunate, and getting the difficult work done for those that need it most. Becky is not just a mentor, or a boss, she is family. I owe so much to her leadership and guidance.

I grew up on the doorsteps of places like Ballard. I know firsthand the trauma facing families in crisis. I know the feeling of hunger, and the desperation that comes with it. I know the sadness of taking a cold bath and trying to sleep in the Kansas summer heat without electricity or air conditioning. I know the impact abuse can have on a child, and the amount of work it takes to overcome trauma. I wish my childhood story was unique, or an outlier, but the hard truth is that it represents the current reality for millions of children in our country.

I am one of the lucky ones that made it out of extreme poverty. I have a beautiful family. Three amazing boys, Felix, Rhett,and Otis.
I know I may be just a smidge biased, but they are the best kids ever. My wife Lisa is the rock of our family. She too escaped a difficult past and made a beautiful life for herself. Lisa volunteers over 30 hours a week in our pantry and has a love for Ballard that I am so grateful for. On weekends we come to Ballard and the kids help us sort donations, run the hallways, and laugh on the playground. Ballard is a key part of our life, a second home, and has blessed my family with an opportunity to better serve this deserving community.

We have accomplished some incredible things over the last few years at Ballard. But as Lisa always reminds me, “There is still work to be done.” We have tripled our capacity to provide crisis funding to families facing eviction, utility disconnect, or even houseless families needing help moving off the streets into a home. The cost of living has also gone up during this time.For every family we keep housed there are 10 more out there still struggling. My friends, there is still work to be done.

Our trauma informed early education program has accomplished over 95% kindergarten readiness scores while serving a population of children that have endured such traumas as abuse, homelessness, and hunger. Our education staff is exposed to secondary trauma on a daily basis, yet they show up every day for the kids and persevere. They are true heroes in my book. For every child that graduates from Ballard ready for kindergarten, ready to thrive, there are other children showing up for their first day. Children that have been through extreme trauma. My friends, there is still work to be done.

The culture Becky has developed at Ballard is second to none. We have a team that is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to best serve this community. We have a working board that is involved in our day-to-day operations, giving their time and talent for the betterment of those we serve. We have a volunteer base that is the main reason we can serve so many. We have incredible support from this community, from folks just like you. Lawrence is a special place, a place I am so proud and lucky to call home.

But my friends, as Lisa always reminds me, there is still work to be done.

Incoming CEO, Kyle Roggenkamp