*National Donut Day is Friday, June 3*
DONUTS DO GOOD: A DEEPER MEANING BEHIND DONUT DAY
SALVATION ARMY NATIONAL COMMANDER DISCUSSES HISTORY AND CONNECTION WITH SWEET TREATS
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BACKGROUND:
On the first Friday in June, Americans celebrate all the gooey goodness of donuts. But this beloved American treat doesn’t just taste good, donuts actually have their roots in doing good. National Donut Day was established in 1938 to honor the work of nearly 250 Salvation Army officers known as “Donut Lassies” who traveled overseas to provide emotional and spiritual support as well as fried confectionary, clothes, and supplies to troops in World War I. For more than a century, the organization has continued to provide a wide range of essential services to the most vulnerable and the men and women serving on the front lines of need.
Commissioners Kenneth and Jolene Hodder, National Leaders for The Salvation Army, share details on National Donut Day and how the holiday is rooted in Salvation Army history, giving it a deeper meaning than you might expect.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The Salvation Army in Chicago celebrated the first National Donut Day in 1938 to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the work of the “Donut Lassies,” who served donuts to soldiers during World War I.
- In 1917, The Salvation Army began a mission to provide spiritual and emotional support for U.S. soldiers fighting in France during World War I. Nearly 250 Salvation Army officers traveled overseas and set up small huts near the front lines where they could give soldiers clothes, supplies and, of course, donuts.
- The “Donut Lassies” fried donuts in a small pan to boost morale of U.S. soldiers and are credited with popularizing the donut in the United States when troops returned home from war.
- The original century-old recipe is still being used today and can be found on The Salvation Army’s website.
For more information, please visit: www.salvationarmyusa.org/
Interview provided by: The Salvation Army
