William Booth established the Salvation Army in England 1852. In 1879 he changed the name of the Christian Mission to the Salvation Army. From that point on the members were known as Salvationists. By 1885 they converted 250,000 Christians and their message spread rapidly, gaining a foothold in other countries including America. Today they are in over 100 countries.
Booth sent his seventh child Eva Cory Booth to America to spread the mission here. During her 30 years as national commander in the United States, she was responsible for the volunteers who served as chaplains and “Doughnut Girls” during World War I. In 1934 she returned to England, but retained her American citizenship until her death in 1950.
The Doughnut Girls were formed following a British lead, women Salvation Army volunteers were soon found in the immediate rear of the battle lines, serving coffee and donuts to tired, traumatized and combat-weary soldiers in World War I. The choice of preparing donuts came about because of the limited ingredients available in war-torn France and the ease of cooking. Soon the young ladies were affectionately being called, ”Donut Dollies” by the American soldiers. The “Donut Dollies” were close enough to the action that they were issued soldier’s steel helmets and gas masks to protect them from artillery shrapnel and poison gas. In addition to the coffee and donut, the Salvation Army volunteers also helped with nursing, wrote and read letters for wounded soldiers, mended uniforms and many used their individual musical talents to provide informal entertainment as occasions arose.
During World War II, women Salvation Army volunteers again deployed to Europe, and the Pacific as well. The term “Donut Dolly” became a generic reference for civilian women volunteers. This continued right through to the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Most people don’t know, however, that the “Army” part of their name isn’t just a reference to the massive volume of volunteers they organize. During both World Wars, the Salvation Army was right there with troops in trenches, much like today’s MWR and USO. The unpaid volunteers of the Salvation Army put their safety on the line to improve the lives of our nation’s defenders.
They are funded mostly by the Salvation members we see on the streets around this time every year, dressed in red, collecting money in cans.