Grace Balnar’s personality draws people in and forms a connection, according to friends and family.
“She has a such a passion for people, for parents and children that have a disadvantage or have issues within the family,” said Jeanne Forsythe, a former co-worker of Balnar’s.
“As soon as someone was feeling really badly, they would come in and as soon as she met them a relationship developed and she was just a very gracious social worker.”
On Dec. 11, Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County honoured Balnar for a significant monetary donation and her years of service.
The organization named the community room, the largest in the main office facility, the “Grace Balnar Community Room.”
The 88-year-old former social worker, who began working with Family and Children’s Services in the ‘70s, attended the dedication with her children and grandchildren.
The donation will go towards hiring a third parental support worker for Guelph and Wellington County. The fund financially assists programs like the prevention and early help program. With the third support worker even more families will be reached.
Daniel Moore, executive director of Family and Children’s Services Guelph and Wellington County, said parental support workers are key members of the community who are highly important in keeping children with parents who may need help.
“Get them the help they need before they need our help,” he said. “What we really want is healthy kids and healthy families so this is one way to get that.”
Through a partnership with organizations like the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, Family and Children’s Services’ parental support workers work with high-risk families before they need protective services.
“They’re not our employees, so they’re the kind of ear on the ground, so often they hear about families through other neighbours,” Moore explained. “They don’t work in buildings like this, they work in the neighbourhood.”
The Balnar family decided to donate to the Children First Fund at Family and Children’s Services because of Grace’s connection.
“This is a big part of her life and when she was here we understand that she was an innovator and was a big part of this,” said Grace’s son Michael Balnar. “Once someone’s in the system, from our understanding, then it becomes very expensive and difficult, but with the prevention at Family and Children’s Services and what their colleagues can do, it’s a brilliant program.”
Michael said the family was honoured by the room naming. “I’m pleased about that because it shows a legacy for my mom but it shows a legacy for her grandkids,” he said. “So when her grandkids have a connection to the community they can see my mother’s name in there for legacy and impact.”
For Forsythe, the room naming was a good fit.
“I’m really not surprised because her heart was always here.”
