"We can help bring our city together by declaring our love to all of its children and showing them the faith we have in their future."—Joan Kroc, 1998
The Kroc Centers Started With One Woman's Dream:
Meet Joan Kroc, Philanthropist & Kroc Center Benefactor
Joan Kroc’s Story
Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, said that she took a tour of San Diego and it was then that she recognized a community that was in desperate need of a safe gathering place, a place with facilities and trained professionals to nurture children’s social skills, arts appreciation and athletic potential. She described the Kroc Center as being a beacon of light and hope in the community.
Mrs. Kroc entrusted The Salvation Army with $90 million to build the first Kroc Center in the Rolando neighborhood of San Diego. Sadly, she passed away a little more than a year after it opened. She was so pleased with what was accomplished there, that she left $1.5 billion to The Salvation Army to build centers across the country. Today, there are 26 Kroc Centers nationwide.
THE SALVATION ARMY RAY & JOAN KROC CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER GREEN BAY VISION:
To inspire people to realize their potential through experiences that transform lives.
About The Greater Green Bay Kroc Community Center
The 102,000 square-foot Greater Green Bay Kroc Community Center redefines what a community center is all about. This unprecedented place of gathering and enrichment houses an array of education, sports, faith, arts and supportive programs unlike anything else available in the Greater Green Bay Area. The programs, as well as the building itself, have been designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit to provide hope, and to transform the life of each and every member of the community.
The Kroc Community Center is comprised of four major components: a center of worship and a performance venue, an Aquatics Center, Fitness Center and Gymnasium and special event facilities.
Development of the Kroc Community Center was made possible by a combined capital and endowment grant from a bequest to The Salvation Army by the late Mrs. Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc. The Green Bay community also raised funds locally, representing a community investment.
The Greater Green Bay Kroc Community Center opened in August 2011.
The Salvation Army Mission
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.
Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. LEARN MORE.
1315 LIME KILN ROAD
GREEN BAY, WI 54311
PHONE (920) 884-5007
www.GBKrocCenter.org
THE SALVATION ARMY
RAY & JOAN KROC CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER
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