Happy National Donut Day!
Captain Aric Tosqui, Detroit PD 10th Precinct, and Envoy Artie Lewis, Detroit Temple Corps Community Center
On Friday, June 3, we were honored to continue the tradition we started over 100 years ago during WWI. Our amazing officers, staff and volunteers travelled around Metro Detroit today sharing donuts with those who are always Doing the Most Good for our communities. This year, The Salvation Army brought the gift of warm donuts to elementary school teachers and police officers. Every year on#NationalDonutDay, we recognize, celebrate and thank those who serve with us on the front lines: police officers, fire fighters, nurses, and teachers, to name a few. Our visits were a welcome warm fuzzy for people who give their hearts and souls, and often blood, sweat and tears, in service to our community.
In 1938, the first-ever National Donut Day was celebrated in Chicago, and the history of The Salvation Army’s Donut Lassies was officially immortalized. In 1917, these women were sent to France to establish field bases near the front lines. In makeshift huts, thousands of soldiers would come to stock up on essential goods and grab a sweet treat baked by the Lassies.
Both the presence of these courageous women and the donuts that tasted of home brought a light of hope and happiness to the battlefield — a much-needed morale boost for languishing soldiers. In fact, the Donut Lassies are also credited with popularizing the donut in the United States after the troops (commonly known as “doughboys”) came back from fighting in Europe. And still today, over a hundred years later, The Salvation Army continues to serve on the front lines through a wide range of social services for the most vulnerable Americans.
You can follow along today's donut deliveries on our Instagram and Facebook pages!