The exact page text, read by your browser's voice.
2007–2026 · THE MAYOR'S RELEASES; THE CHAPTER AT DIRECTORY STRENGTH
The Army's named center for this county rose on a McDonald's fortune, and its papers are unusually complete. On 13 March 2007 the City of South Bend announced a $40 million grant from Joan Kroc, heir to the McDonald's fortune, to build a Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on the city's west side — South Bend having been one of only ten Midwestern cities to pre-qualify, and the only one in Indiana. The gift carried the federation era's discipline in modern form: the community had first to raise $10 million toward a $30 million operating endowment, alongside a $20 million facility; the city pledged $1 million that August and gave the ground, the 8.5 acres of Alonzo Watson Park at Western Avenue and Chapin Street, with an acre more. The center as planned carried seven program areas — education and life development, family enrichment, fine and performing arts, health and wellness, recreation, spiritual development, and a teen center — and the Salvation Army of St. Joseph County's Kroc Center stands there now as the Army's named center for the county, Olive Township's share of the Army being the county share. The Red Cross share prints thinner, at the strength the record gives: the American Red Cross of St. Joseph County stands in the county's directories at 3220 East Jefferson Boulevard, South Bend, a chapter of the national body; no corps, chapter house or unit of either body ever stood in New Carlisle in the record reached, and the township's disasters — the blizzard and the floods of the events leg — were met by the chapter and the corps from South Bend.
Sources:
- City of South Bend, Mayor's news releases, 13 March 2007 and 14 August 2007 (docs.southbendin.gov) — the Kroc grant, the match, the city pledge and the Alonzo Watson Park ground.
- American Red Cross of St. Joseph County, directory listing (idealist.org), read November 2026 — 3220 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend.