Belvie
Ballard-Hilyard: Her gift is good for others
Belvie Ballard-Hilyard
By NADIA MARIA SMITH
CS&T Staff Writer
Belvie Ballard-Hilyard rolls up her sleeves and does what
it takes to help save lives, and for that she was named
Counselor of the Year by Real Alternatives.
Real Alternatives is a non-profit organization in Pennsylvania
whose mission is to provide life-affirming alternatives
to abortion for women in crisis pregnancies.
“At 10 years old, I realized that my gift from God
was to help people and really make a difference in their
lives,” said Ballard-Hilyard. “I wanted to be
a social worker because I knew that was what they did.”
She began working as a social worker for Catholic Social
Services 22 years ago, and she has never looked back. Today
she is program coordinator for the senior drop-in center
at the Delaware County Family Service Center of Catholic
Social Services and a case manager for CSS’ crisis
pregnancy program.
Real Alternatives funds several pregnancy and parenting
services provided by CSS — services that have
helped Ballard-Hilyard provide assistance that has meant
the difference between life and death.
Take Jane [not her real name] a 20-year-old woman who was
referred to Ballard-Hilyard by Real Alternative’s
national crisis pregnancy hotline.
When Ballard-Hilyard met Jane, she was about eight weeks
pregnant and unemployed, and she didn’t have medical
insurance. She was also alone: Her boyfriend had left her
when he found out she was pregnant.
Jane did not think she could afford to have the baby or
care for it properly, but Ballard-Hilyard told her about
the services and support she could get.
With further counseling, and after receiving the material
assistance she needed, Jane decided that she didn’t
want to have an abortion or give up her child for adoption.
She wanted to keep her baby.
“When they come to CSS, they come with low self-esteems
…,” Ballard-Hilyard said. “We build their
self-esteem and let them know that they can do it, with
our help. Together, we develop a plan and work with them
to achieve the goal, which is raising that child.”
That makes all the difference in the lives of the women
she counsels.
For instance, Jane received prenatal care, postnatal care,
financial support and even an education. She is now the
self-sufficient mother of a beautiful little girl, and she
credits Ballard-Hilyard for her achievement.
“I have always thrived on helping others,” Ballardy-Hilyard
said. “At age 10, I started working with an elderly
person at her home. I would go and watch her while her daughter
and son-in-law went out. I made sure she ate, cleaned the
dishes for her, sat and talked with her. … I realized
that was my gift from God.”
She continues to share that gift with those in her care.
“Her personal sense of mission matches well with our
agency’s mission, which is to continue the work of
Jesus by affirming, assisting and advocating for individuals,
families, and communities,” said Gail McCoach, CSS’
program manager and Ballard-Hilyard’s supervisor.
“She will do what ever it takes to help a client.”
CS&T staff writer Nadia Maria Smith may be reached at
npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.
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