Ross Community Center
50-Year Anniversary | Community Partner Spotlight
This month's 50th anniversary featured partner (and fellow 50th anniversary celebrant) is Ross Community Center. Also established in 1974, the Ross Center was one of three city-run recreational centers in Muncie at the time. It was an important hub of the Thomas Park-Avondale neighborhood, offering space to play sports, connect with friends and neighbors, and take part in educational programs. The closing of nearby factories in the 1990’s and 2000’s led to significant economic challenges for the community and the center. It was run for several years by volunteers, then transitioned into an independent non-profit organization in 2011. Since then, the Ross Community Center has reemerged as a vibrant anchor for the neighborhood and beyond.
Open Door and the Ross Center are both active partners in the 8twelve Coalition, the neighborhood revitalization initiative launched by Muncie Habitat for Humanity and now a part of Open Door’s community engagement efforts. The Ross Center’s executive director, Jacquie Hanoman, served as a member of the initiative’s steering committee and continues to be an essential connection to Thomas Park-Avondale residents. The Ross Center’s education coordinator, Rachel Foster, now leads 8twelve’s education action committee. Each year, the 8twelve Coalition and the Ross Community Center collaborate on a Trunk or Treat event that draws upwards of 500 children and families on Halloween. They also host an annual year-end party for Southview Elementary and Southside Middle School students, alongside Avondale United Methodist Church and other partners.
The Ross Center prioritizes relationship building to build trust across the neighborhood. Open Door’s partnership with the Ross Center provides important insights into the real healthcare needs of residents. Open Door Connections staff hold regular hours at the community center to help residents access healthcare services and insurance coverage. Open Door clinical staff provide sports physicals and immunizations onsite. Jacquie has been known to go door-to-door with Open Door flyers translated for Spanish-speaking households. In years past, Open Door staff served on the center’s board of directors and sponsored its youth baseball league.
“We not only share a 50th anniversary--we also share a commitment to listening to people and caring for them as individuals. This is why we spend so much time in neighborhoods and in collaboration with community partners,” said Suzanne Clem, VP of Community Engagement at Open Door. “We want to understand neighbors’ experiences, their goals, and their needs, and then provide services that honor those experiences and meet those needs. We’re proud to celebrate with the Ross Community Center five decades of community impact.”
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Open Door Health Services operating in East Central Indiana! While caring for community members under different names during that time, the organization has seen a rich history of patient-focused care and intentional relationship-building with community partners.
To celebrate this history, each month we're featuring the story of Open Door's partnership with an area organization. Thank you for helping us celebrate the impact we make TOGETHER on quality of life.