A History of Hope: How The Salvation Army Inspired America’s Sweetest Holiday

Chef Andre Rush Partners With The Salvation Army To Celebrate National Donut Day on June 7

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 4, 2024) — For more than 85 years, National Donut Day has been a sweet tradition thanks to The Salvation Army, the country’s largest nongovernmental social service provider. Established in 1938 by The Salvation Army in Chicago, the holiday is about more than indulging in a delicious treat: It’s a chance to recognize the selfless volunteers who serve those most in need.

This National Donut Day, The Salvation Army has teamed up with Chef Andre Rush, former White House chef and veteran, to distribute donuts, talk about the history of National Donut Day and highlight The Salvation Army’s veterans-focused programs on his socials June 7. With Chef Rush’s help, The Salvation Army plans to spread hope one donut at a time and make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Additionally, The Salvation Army will mark this historic day with various events and initiatives across the country:

• Denver, Colorado — LaMar’s Donuts is partnering with The Salvation Army to provide donuts to the local Veterans Affairs hospital and many other locations.
• Dallas, Texas — The Salvation Army of North Texas will distribute hundreds of donuts to patients and visitors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas, the largest veterans’ affairs facility in the nation.
• Bradford, Pennsylvania — The Salvation Army of Bradford will host an inaugural Donut Day 5K on Saturday, June 8.
• Santa Clarita, California — The Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps will host its inaugural Donut Day event which includes a donut eating contest.
• Indianapolis, Indiana — The Salvation Army of Central Indiana is partnering with Jack’s Donuts to deliver donuts to local veterans and first responders as a token of appreciation for their service in the community.
• Traverse City, Michigan — Traverse City Salvation Army and volunteers will be delivering donuts to the area’s first responders and military on National Donut Day.

National Donut Day honors The Salvation Army's Donut Lassies, who traveled to France in 1917 at the approval of the commander of the Expeditionary Forces, General John Pershing, where they served donuts and other baked goods, repaired torn uniforms, helped soldiers write letters and provided emotional and spiritual care to American and allied soldiers fighting on the front lines of World War I. The donut became a symbol of comfort and hope during what was the darkest time in many of these soldiers’ lives.

The Salvation Army’s dedication to supporting troops continued beyond World War I and became a steadfast tradition in subsequent conflicts. Eighty years ago, Allied troops stormed Normandy Beach, known as D-Day and the beginning of the end of the Nazi regime. The Salvation Army provided comfort and care to U.S. troops as they fought their way into Nazi Germany and supplied coffee, donuts, chewing gum, soap, toothpaste, and sewing kits. After Hitler surrendered, The Salvation Army volunteers remained in Germany, providing relief to all involved in the war throughout the next year. These volunteers were beacons of love and light in a dark time of hate.

Today, The Salvation Army continues to provide comfort, support and counseling to our troops, both active duty and veterans, and delivers essential services to nearly 24 million people in America who fight to overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships. Through nearly 7,000 centers of operation, The Salvation Army tailors a wide range of social services to the specific needs of each community such as providing food, clothing, shelter, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation services, youth programming and more.

“We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the 86th National Donut Day and paying tribute to the incredible legacy of the Donut Lassies,” said Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army. “Their dedication and compassion perfectly illustrate what The Salvation Army stands for and continue to inspire our entire community to this day.”

For more information about National Donut Day or to download the Donut Lassies’ original recipe, visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/national-donut-day/.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army helped nearly 24 million people in 2022 overcome poverty, addiction, and spiritual and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in nearly every ZIP code. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at nearly 7,000 centers of operation around the country. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on X @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

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Name: Brooke McGriff
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