King Kennedy Community Center (KKCC) exists to uplift the residents of McElrath Park and the surrounding area. The Center serves all ages, with a special focus on youth and seniors. Most of the youth are at-risk and come from low-income households with limited means of support, and KKCC provides a safe place for them after school or during the summer.
Designed to enrich the lives of its community members, KKCC provides a variety of experiences and opportunities, such as after-school tutoring, summer education programs, food assistance, recreational activities, and seasonal parties.
The Center was originally built in 1978. At the time, the neighborhood of McElrath Park, where the center is located, was ranked one of the nation’s most underprivileged rural communities. Inspired by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy, a group of like-minded community members, including the McElrath Improvement Corporation (MIC), volunteers from the surrounding area, and students from Kent State University (KSU), banded together to create the King Kennedy Community Center and form a place in the community where local residents could learn and grow.
Today, King Kennedy continues to flourish. The center offers after-school tutoring, summer education programs, food assistance for youth and seniors, holiday programming, and a multitude of volunteer opportunities. In 2002, KKCC merged with Family & Community Services, Inc., now Axess Family Services, helping to expand resources for KKCC.
