San Francisco Kroc Center gives each child a safe place to learn

BY CAITLIN JOHNSTON

The Education Department at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center San Francisco has the same state-of-the-art community center feel Kroc Centers are known for, providing children and families with opportunity to discover their passions within their own community. But Education Manager Monica Rios takes the programming a step further.

Through her guidance and initiative, this Kroc Center, in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, serves children from all angles, giving special care to a multicultural community that includes multiple populations who have experienced trauma.

“Monica is gifted in empathy,” said Corps Officer Captain Arwyn Rodriguera. “That gift translates to her team. The care, the intentionality and the acceptance they bring to holistically serving each child is incredible.”

The staff is trained in ACES (Adverse Childhood Experience indicators and impact) and program funding from the San Francisco Unified School District helps pay for a behavioral specialist to better assist kids with all kinds of backgrounds. The idea is to personalize each interaction, knowing the needs of every kid and family are different.

Rios, who is bilingual, thoughtfully considers how effective communication and learning looks for a multicultural community. Under her leadership, the team intentionally follows up with each family’s unique needs—food, family enrichment programs or referrals. Instead of a pool or membership-forward focus found in many Kroc Centers, the Tenderloin center is mental health, community and education-forward.

“It’s about creating that comfort and that space with them so they can begin sharing and opening up what’s going on in any area of their life,” Rios said.

The center serves kids ages 5-11 with a wide range of needs, whether that’s a learning disability, previous trauma or developmental disorder. Each day, they see between 40 and 48 students. The key, Rios said, is patience.

“Every single student is going through something, and every person has a story,” Rios said. “They deserve just as much love and attention as any other