The Katy Family YMCA will soon have a new name after local philanthropist Monty Ballard made a sizable donation to the organization. The YMCA of Greater Houston announced Tuesday it will rename the Katy Family YMCA after Ballard, who made a seven-figure donation to the organization. The exact amount of Ballard’s donation is not being disclosed at Ballard’s request, said David Snow, chief development officer of the YMCA of Greater Houston. A ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Katy Family YMCA—which has been open since 2001—to officially change the name of the facility to the Monty Ballard YMCA at Cinco Ranch, Snow said. “[Ballard] expressed to me that he really wanted to invest his philanthropic dollars back into Katy,” Snow said. “He wanted to support Katy organizations that will improve the quality of life for residents within that community.” Snow said that Ballard, whose donation will mostly go toward supporting the development and construction costs associated with the new YMCA at Katy Main Street, was given the option of putting his name on either Katy area YMCA. “Ballard made a lead gift to us, which was critical for us moving forward, and we wanted to honor him,” Snow said. “We actually gave him the choice of whether he would name the new facility or the existing facility. And he actually chose the existing facility on Westheimer [Parkway] because that’s near his home.” Ballard established the Ballard Foundation several years ago after selling Fluoro-Seal International—a company that specializes in adhesion enhancement for plastics for which Ballard is a co-founder, Snow said. Ballard’s philanthropic efforts have spanned throughout the Katy area, Snow said. “His first major effort was the Ballard House there in Katy, and now the second effort is with the YMCA,” Snow said. Snow said Ballard’s donation has significantly reduced the fundraising amount that the YMCA of Greater Houston was seeking to fund the YMCA at Katy Main Street that is expected to open early next year. The organization is now in need of just $200,000 for the $12 million, 41,000-square-foot project, he said. Snow said Ballard’s donation will help the YMCA of Greater Houston better serve the rapidly growing Katy area population, and anyone who becomes a member of either YMCA in Katy between Nov. 12 and Jan. 31, 2017, will have their initial new membership fee waived. About one-third of the YMCA of Greater Houston’s more than 30 facilities have a namesake, and a philanthropist like Ballard helps solidify the organization’s efforts to foster a sense community, Snow said. “Every contribution is important, and whether it’s someone giving us $100 towards that ‘Y’ or giving us $1 million towards that ‘Y,’ it’s really about a community coming together and to support a ‘Y,’” Snow said. “So we’re really interested in having a wide base of support for the ‘Y’ going forward.”