Celebrate National Salvation Army Week May 15-21
May 15-21 is National Salvation Army Week – a time for Americans to celebrate The Salvation Army, cheer for the people we serve, and recognize the donors, partners and volunteers who make our work possible.
National Salvation Army Week has been a tradition for nearly seven decades. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (pictured) declared the first one in 1954 as a reminder to Americans to give freely of themselves, saying, “Among Americans, The Salvation Army has long been a symbol of wholehearted dedication to the cause of brotherhood.”
Indeed, The Salvation Army is woven deep into the fabric of America. Consider the following:
- U.S. astronaut John Young brought our flag to the moon in 1972.
- During both World Wars, female Salvation Army volunteers, nicknamed “Donut Girls,” served coffee and donuts to U.S. soldiers battling on the front lines. (Heads-up: National Donut Day is coming Friday, June 2.)
- The Salvation Army first arrived in the U.S. in 1880 and has since helped change the lives of millions of Americans.
Today The Salvation Army operates in 133 countries, providing food, shelter, disaster relief, and other services for millions – including more than 2,000 Salvation Army schools that educate upwards of 500,000 children living in depressed regions of the world.
In our corner of the globe, The Salvation Army Northern Division provides life-changing services for people all over Minnesota and North Dakota. Consider these recent success stories and volunteer profiles:
A simple box of groceries altered the trajectory of a local family’s life (pictured)- Volunteer Darlene Schaefer has created an entire “department store” of clothing for our shelter guests in St. Cloud, Minn.
- Our hot meal programs are a godsend to those in need, such as our lunch guests in Fargo, N.D.
The stories above are only the beginning. Every day, hundreds more success stories come to fruition through the work of The Salvation Army, our donors and our volunteers.
“Thank you to all of our supporters for making The Salvation Army’s work possible,” said Lt. Col. Dan Jennings, leader of The Salvation Army Northern Division. “We are proud to celebrate with you during National Salvation Army Week.”
You can help celebrate National Salvation Army Week by getting involved with helping your community. Here are three easy ways to make an impact:
In honor of The Salvation Army's founding year of 1865, you can make a difference in somebody’s life by pledging to donate $18.65 monthly. This works out to just 61 cents per day and will ensure we can provide life-changing services in your area.- Sign up to volunteer at one of our locations in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota and North Dakota.
- Sign up for the most exciting fundraiser of summer – Down for the Challenge, an urban rappelling event and fundraiser with the Minnesota Vikings on July 28-29. All proceeds fund Salvation Army programs that fight homelessness.