Kroc Center's impact grows

COEUR d’ALENE — Membership at the Salvation Army Kroc Center has reached more than 17,000, its highest in more than a decade.

“The center’s as busy as it’s ever been,” said Stacy Barney, assistant center director.

The Kroc Center, which is about to mark its 14th anniversary since opening May 14, 2009, has the largest membership of 26 centers across the country.

Of the seven centers in the West, it has 45% of their total membership despite being in one of the smallest communities.

Amy Voeller, development director, said it touches about one in three people.

“Which is huge,” she said Tuesday morning to about 40 members of the Coeur d'Alene Sunrise Rotary Club.

According to its 2022 finance report, the Kroc Center received $4.4 million in membership; $2.3 million from its endowment fund; $898,250 in rentals programs fees and sales; $517,000 from donations and grants and $373,295 from its Red Kettle and Flannel Fest fundraisers.

The bulk of expenses last year were $5.1 million to operate the community center; $1.6 million for outreach and $885,476 for administration.

The Kroc Center's reach goes beyond its doors at 1765 W. Golf Course Road. Through pools, a walking track, sports court, fitness equipment and performing arts and worship area, it connects with kids to seniors.

Its Mobile Kroc program delivers recess support, activities and equipment to 14 North Idaho schools.

In 2022, it provided 1,121 Kroc membership scholarships and saved 21 families and seniors from homelessness.

It provided 1,591 meals, school snacks and grocery gift cards.

The center is known as a safe place that is transforming lives, young and old. It's not just about physical fitness, but mental and emotional, too, as nearly 1,300 people received grief support and personal visits.

Barney said some seniors take a lap around the track, then spend hours afterward visiting with friends in the coffee bar area.

"That is as much as about fitness and wellness as anything,” Barney said.

The Christian-based Kroc Center doesn't try to do it all, Voeller said. It supports nonprofits like St. Vincent de Paul and the Post Falls Food Bank to shelter the homeless and feed the hungry.

When Joan Kroc gifted $1.5 billion to Salvation Army in 1994 to build centers across the country, she did so with the mission, “To change the trajectory of people’s lives.”

“We don’t want to be everything to everyone. We want to make sure we’re supporting those organizations in our community that are doing really good work,” Voeller said.