The Chicago Kroc Center Approved for $500,000 From the Searle Funds at The Chicago...

The Chicago Kroc Center Approved for $500,000 From the Searle Funds at The
Chicago Community Trust

Organization approved for two grants, each worth $250,000

CHICAGO, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Chicago Ray and Joan Kroc
Corps Community Center announced today that it has been approved to receive
two grants for $250,000 each from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community
Trust. The monies are to be used for the building of the Ray and Joan Kroc
Center in the West Pullman neighborhood on the city's far South Side. The
Chicago Kroc Center, an entity of The Salvation Army, expects to receive the
grants in the fall of 2009.

"We are sincerely grateful to the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust
for these very generous grants," said Lieutenant Colonel David Grindle,
divisional commander, The Salvation Army. "In these tough times, the grants
are doubly important because the current economy has made things difficult for
everyone--from non-profit organizations to the people we help, Chicago's
neediest. The Chicago Community Trust is a godsend to non-profits as we do our
work during times of economic turmoil because without them, a lot of the work
we do would quite possibly not get done."

The Chicago Community Trust has partnered with thousands of organizations to
enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities across
metropolitan Chicago for more than 90 years.

"We are very pleased to approve these grants to The Salvation Army," said
James Lewis, senior program officer for The Chicago Community Trust. "At The
Chicago Community Trust we award grants to those organizations that we feel
address our region's most pressing needs and promising opportunities. We
commend The Salvation Army for its work, and congratulate them on their
efforts."

About The Salvation Army's Chicago Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
In 2006, The Salvation Army in Chicago was approved to receive a portion of
the estate of Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc. The $109.8
million award from the estate is being supplemented by a $50 million
fundraising campaign to build and endow the state-of-the-art ministry,
community and social service facility. In November 2007, the Chicago
Metropolitan Division announced the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
Project in the West Pullman neighborhood, one of the city's most undeserved
communities. The Kroc project is a shovel ready project to help stimulate the
economy by providing 300 construction jobs initially and over 200 permanent,
full and part time jobs, when the center is open. For more information, visit
www.kroccenterchicago.org.

About The Chicago Community Trust
For 93 years, The Chicago Community Trust, our region's community foundation,
has connected the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants
to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. In 2008, the Trust,
together with its donors, granted more than $100 million to not-for-profit
organizations. From strengthening community schools to assisting local art
programs, from building health centers to helping lives affected by violence,
the Trust continues to enhance our region. To learn more, please visit the
Trust online at www.cct.org.

The Chicago Metropolitan Division of The Salvation Army is one of the largest
providers of social services in Illinois, and provides services in the
Chicagoland, Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana areas. Those services
include, but are not limited to, feeding programs and emergency shelter for
the homeless. For more information about The Salvation Army, or to donate,
please visit www.salarmychicago.org.

SOURCE The Salvation Army, Metropolitan Division

Jordanka Lazarevic of The Salvation Army, +1-773-205-3573; or Eva Penar of The
Chicago Community Trust, +1-312-616-8000, extension 161