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Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center to offer more affordable membership pricing for new year

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The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center have announced a bold new initiative to make membership more affordable to improve wellness in the Uphams-Dudley community as 2015 begins.

Working together with strong community partners, The Salvation Army has developed a new pricing structure that will allow access to top-quality aquatic, fitness, recreation and arts facilities. The Salvation Army hopes to increase access to strong and robust programming designed to build character, confidence, capacity and hope for individuals and families.

“Today, with the announcement of our new, lower price structure, we are able to further fulfill Mrs. Kroc’s vision of having a first-class facility right in our neighborhood that is affordable and accessible to the members of our community,” said Major Steven Lopes, Administrator of the Kroc Corps Community Center.

Opened in 2011, the $65-million Kroc Center was built after a generous gift from the estate of Joan Kroc and other local donors. With the change in fee structure, the center will be able to open its doors to more low-income families in Roxbury and Dorchester, which combine to have more than 50 percent of children under 17 years old living in poverty, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. More than thirty percent of Black and Latino Massachusetts residents are obese, and increased access to the Kroc Center will be a lifeline for people struggling to improve wellness.

The Kroc Corps Community Center is the largest state-of-the-art community center in Boston on a 6.5-acre campus in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood of Dorchester. The center has a NCAA regulation-size basketball court, the tallest rock wall in the city, a two-floor fitness center, and an aquatics center with lap lanes, a lazy river, splash pad playground and a 150-foot water slide. The center also offers a wide range of group exercise classes, dance and theater programming, and educational resources. As in all of its centers, The Salvation Army invites the public to its family worship services every Sunday and participate in Bible studies and other character-building programs throughout the week. The Welcome Desk is open daily and is happy to give tours.

Attend a January 16 Open House event

The public is invited to a free open house at the Kroc Center to learn more about the facility, programs and new lower rates on Friday, Jan. 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.