Mayor Menino Joins The Salvation Army to Celebrate the Groundbreaking of the Kroc Commun...( BOSTON July 27 /- S...),Health

BOSTON, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Salvation Army officials along with Mayor Thomas M. Menino gathered today with community members and elected officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of the largest social service community center in the history of Massachusetts -- the $115 million Kroc Corps Community Center on the Dorchester/Roxbury Line.

Mayor Menino, the Honorary Chairman of the Kroc Campaign and a longtime supporter of the Kroc Center, spoke about what the Center means to the City of Boston.

"This is a wonderful day for this neighborhood and for all of Boston," Mayor Menino said. "Thousands of children, teens, adults and seniors will benefit from the good work happening at the new Kroc Center. From day care and fitness, to early education and night classes -- the Kroc Center will become a crucial part of the fabric of this community."

The Boston Kroc Center project begins construction today after reaching its initial fundraising goal, which was set as a condition of the Kroc gift and challenged the Boston community to raise funds locally before construction of the Kroc Center could begin. Having achieved that goal, The Salvation Army is continuing to raise the final $2.5 million needed locally to complete the campaign.

"Today is a very proud day for The Salvation Army and all of our community partners, investors, and local supporters. It has been a long road, and to see these shovels in the ground is a testament to the tremendous commitment demonstrated by the Boston community to move this enormously important project forward," said Major William Bode, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army's Massachusetts Division. "For every resident of Boston, but especially for thousands of elders, children and teens in the Uphams-Dudley section of the City, this project will provide enormous opportunities to improve their lives."

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