Florence Ballard sister Maxine's house. In 1974 Mary Wilson invited Ballard to join the Supremes, which now included Cindy Birdsong and Scherrie Payne (Ross had left for her successful solo career in 1970). Though Ballard played tambourine, she didn't sing and told Wilson she had no ambition to sing any more. Later that year Ballard's plight started to be reported in newspapers as word got around that the singer had applied for welfare. Around that time, Ballard entered Henry Ford Hospital for rehab treatment. Following six weeks of treatment, Ballard slowly started to recover. In early 1975, Ballard received an insurance settlement
Melinda Ballard damage. The award was later changed to $4 million. As a result of her case and the attention she received, Ballard founded Policyholders of America, a consumer advocate group and homeowner’s insurance information clearinghouse. In 2013, Ballard died at the age of 55. Melinda Ballard Melinda Ballard (1958 – 2013) was an activist for insurance policyholders in America. In 1999, she sued her insurer over mold damage in her 22-room Austin, Texas mansion. Their case started as a single claim for water damage and turned into a case about mold contamination in the entire house. They were one of the