Ballentine new director of homeless shelter
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The board of trustees of the Highland County Homeless Shelter announced a new director this week, and a new direction they hope the shelter will take in serving families and the extended community in Highland County.
Board chairperson Judi Wiley announced that Hillsboro pastor and
Highland County Press columnist Mike Ballentine accepted the position as
director, and began June 9.
"We know the image of the shelter has been faltering in the past but we
are ready as a board to move forward," Wiley said in an announcement. "Mike
has great ideas, and we are confident that he will turn the shelter into
something Highland County will be proud of. Every resident at the shelter
has a story, and that story is a part of who they are. We must build on that story to give each of them a chance to become part of society as soon as possible. We need hope and help sometimes in our lives, and this will be a priority for each resident to achieve before they leave the shelter."
Other board members include: Jennifer Duncan, Tom Horst, David Pence,
Debbie Robbins, Reggie Turner, LuAnn Winkle and Karen Kemper. Ballentine said that during a meeting held June 8, the five members who were in attendance voted 5-0 to hire him to the post at the non-profit service organization.
Ballentine said that work with the shelter, to him, is a way to help
more people and build something strong in the Highland County community.
"I want the shelter to be involved in the community, but I also want the
community to be involved in the shelter," Ballentine said. "People at the
shelter should be upstanding citizens."
Ballentine has been the pastor at the Hillsboro church Serenity in
Christian Union for five years. He has been married to his wife Sandra since 1991 and they have a 15-year-old daughter.
"She is my true companion," Ballentine said of his wife. "I can talk to
her about anything at any time, and it helps me with a lot of these
situations to have somebody to bounce ideas off of."
For people who are staying at the facility, besides a way to meet basic
needs of food and shelter, Ballentine said he wants it to be a place of
learning so that the patrons will have applied knowledge on how to deal with tough economic situations. Whether it is help with addiction, resumé
writing, obtaining a GED, financial classes, nutrition classes, parenting
resources or channels through which to find employment, Ballentine said "I believe it is the job of the shelter to give that to them. I don't want to
fail the people in the shelter.
"I only want the people at the shelter to be homeless once," he said. "I
want to prepare them and give them the tools they need so if life slaps them in the face again, they can pick themselves up without depending on
something like a shelter."
The shelter can house 20-30 people, and special rooms are available to
house whole families together.
"What will make me a good director is my honesty and the reputation that follows me," Ballentine said. "I have common sense. There are things that I am going to have to learn. This is a new venture for me. It's a new
experience, but I want to make a difference. I have always wanted to make a difference, and I started in a pastoral role, counseling, seeing people come to God. This is just a new extension."
Ballentine said it is his goal to make the shelter, its needs and its
message known in the community.
One of his immediate plans is to begin learning the grant-writing
process to help bring more funds in to the facility.
"Our cash donations are down 70 percent," Ballentine said. "I want to
give the shelter a new direction."
Ballentine said the shelter will be going out for state, federal and
private grants and seeking donations through individuals, organizations and religious groups, and may be having some fundraisers.
Additionally, he will also be preparing a working budget for the coming
90-day period within the next two weeks.
"I want Highland County to know the shelter is a place you can go to, to
get up, but know it's not a handout. I expect people to want to help
themselves," Ballentine said. "And if they do that, then the shelter will
help them further."
The board of trustees of the Highland County Homeless Shelter announced a new director this week, and a new direction they hope the shelter will take in serving families and the extended community in Highland County.
Board chairperson Judi Wiley announced that Hillsboro pastor and Highland County Press columnist Mike Ballentine accepted the position as director, and began June 9.
"We know the image of the shelter has been faltering in the past but we are ready as a board to move forward," Wiley said in an announcement. "Mike has great ideas, and we are confident that he will turn the shelter into something Highland County will be proud of. Every resident at the shelter has a story, and that story is a part of who they are. We must build on that story to give each of them a chance to become part of society as soon as possible. We need hope and help sometimes in our lives, and this will be a priority for each resident to achieve before they leave the shelter."
Other board members include: Jennifer Duncan, Tom Horst, David Pence, Debbie Robbins, Reggie Turner, LuAnn Winkle and Karen Kemper. Ballentine said that during a meeting held June 8, the five members who were in attendance voted 5-0 to hire him to the post at the non-profit service organization.
Ballentine said that work with the shelter, to him, is a way to help more people and build something strong in the Highland County community.
"I want the shelter to be involved in the community, but I also want the community to be involved in the shelter," Ballentine said. "People at the shelter should be upstanding citizens."
Ballentine has been the pastor at the Hillsboro church Serenity in Christian Union for five years. He has been married to his wife Sandra since 1991 and they have a 15-year-old daughter.
"She is my true companion," Ballentine said of his wife. "I can talk to her about anything at any time, and it helps me with a lot of these situations to have somebody to bounce ideas off of."
For people who are staying at the facility, besides a way to meet basic needs of food and shelter, Ballentine said he wants it to be a place of learning so that the patrons will have applied knowledge on how to deal with tough economic situations. Whether it is help with addiction, resumé writing, obtaining a GED, financial classes, nutrition classes, parenting resources or channels through which to find employment, Ballentine said "I believe it is the job of the shelter to give that to them. I don't want to fail the people in the shelter.
"I only want the people at the shelter to be homeless once," he said. "I want to prepare them and give them the tools they need so if life slaps them in the face again, they can pick themselves up without depending on something like a shelter."
The shelter can house 20-30 people, and special rooms are available to house whole families together.
"What will make me a good director is my honesty and the reputation that follows me," Ballentine said. "I have common sense. There are things that I am going to have to learn. This is a new venture for me. It's a new experience, but I want to make a difference. I have always wanted to make a difference, and I started in a pastoral role, counseling, seeing people come to God. This is just a new extension."
Ballentine said it is his goal to make the shelter, its needs and its message known in the community.
One of his immediate plans is to begin learning the grant-writing process to help bring more funds in to the facility.
"Our cash donations are down 70 percent," Ballentine said. "I want to give the shelter a new direction."
Ballentine said the shelter will be going out for state, federal and private grants and seeking donations through individuals, organizations and religious groups, and may be having some fundraisers.
Additionally, he will also be preparing a working budget for the coming 90-day period within the next two weeks.
"I want Highland County to know the shelter is a place you can go to, to get up, but know it's not a handout. I expect people to want to help themselves," Ballentine said. "And if they do that, then the shelter will help them further."
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