In the middle of winter, a hard-working family has fallen on tough times, and can no longer make ends meet. The Salvation Army is there to provide food, clothing and shelter in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.
In spring, a tornado has devastated a small Wisconsin town. The Salvation Army is there to help provide free hot meals and shelter to victims who have lost everything.
These are just a couple examples of the down-to-earth humanitarian aid the Salvation Army has been providing for over 142 years.
It started in 1865 when William Booth left the Methodist ministry to preach as an independent evangelist in the slums of Londons East End. Many converts were won, but they didnt feel at home in churches, so Booth set up Christian Mission Centers. He adopted the name Salvation Army in 1878. At first, the Army was persecuted by church people because it was so unconventional. But the organization was successful at attacking social problems of the day - hunger, homelessness and poverty.
Today the Salvation Army serves people in 102 countries around the world, with more than 9,600 centers throughout the United States alone. In addition to physical humanitarian aid, providing the necessities of food, shelter an ...
