Kroc Center

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A Kroc Center is a community center run by the Salvation Army, and is more formally known as a Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center.

1 Kroc Center background
2 Other Kroc Centers
3 Links
4 References

[edit] Kroc Center background

Upon her death in 2003, Joan Kroc, the widow of McDonald’s restaurants founder Ray Kroc, bequeathed $1.5 billion to The Salvation Army solely for the purpose of establishing centers of opportunity, education, recreation and inspiration throughout the United States to be known as "Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers".

According to the trust, a Kroc Center is to be highly visible and easily accessible, to be within reach of various economic groups with particular outreach to underserved families, to have high quality service within world-class facilities, and to include programs involving education, fitness, arts and worship. These centers are to be owned and operated by The Salvation Army.

Prior to her death, 87 million dollars was donated to build and endow the first Kroc Center in San Diego, California. The money was donated in 1998 and the center opened in June of 2002. Additional Kroc Centers are being established for the benefit of communities. The Kroc Center in San Francisco, California broke ground in June of 2006 and is expected to open in July of 2008. The San Francisco Kroc Center received 53 million dollars. Memphis, Tennessee is preparing for a Kroc Center to be established on the Memphis Fairgrounds.