The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center Phoenix (Kroc Center) is inviting the community to celebrate its 10th anniversary by opening its doors for people to try the Kroc Center’s many activities and programs for free on Wednesday, May 18, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Kroc Center is a 147,000-square-foot state-of-the-art community center located on 17 acres in the South Mountain neighborhood at 1375 E. Broadway Road in Phoenix – offering a church, indoor waterpark, three football/soccer fields, three regulation basketball courts, baseball diamond, 30-foot climbing wall, exercise center, performing arts theater, library, café, and health and wellness center.
“We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the Kroc Center’s 10th anniversary by showcasing our facility during a free day for the community,” said Capt. Caroline Rowe, Kroc Center Corps officer. “We are proud to grow the Kroc Center’s legacy of providing athletics, recreation, education, music, arts, spiritual guidance, health and wellness, and support for the entire community.”
Since opening in 2012, more than 2 million people have used the Kroc Center, and in the past 10 years, the Kroc Center has:
- Issued over $2.8 million in financial scholarship assistance.
- Provided employment for more than 1,400 people.
- Taught more than 6,000 people how to swim.
- Seen 1,700 adults take a group exercise class, over 2,300 children attend a week-long camp, and more than 65,000 attend a Sunday worship service.
Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, began a legacy of hope when she entrusted The Salvation Army with $1.5 billion to build community centers across the country. She dreamed of a network of “Kroc Centers,” each providing opportunities in arts, education and athletics for children, adults and families in underserved communities. These centers remove the financial, geographic and social barriers typically standing in the way of people realizing their full potential. Additionally, Mrs. Kroc envisioned these centers as bastions of peace, social justice and service to others. The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center Phoenix is one of just 26 Kroc Centers in the entire country. For more information, visit KrocPhoenix.org.
