Salvation Army Day – March 10, 2025

History of Salvation Army Day

The exact reason for instituting such a day as Salvation Army Day on March 10 is unknown, but we do know that this is a day well worth observing simply because of the phenomenal organization that it acknowledges. For many people, all they may ever know about the Salvation Army is that they have volunteers who stand outside the stores and malls, ringing bells, and holding out red kettles for charitable donations around the holiday season. This does not even begin to scratch the surface of what The Salvation Army is, does, and stands for — let alone its rich history.

Born in Nottingham, England, in 1829, William Booth found his true faith at the age of 15. At the beginning of his career, he was a Methodist preacher, and then he broke away to preach independently, eventually being invited to preach in one of the poorest areas of London — Whitechapel. Having always had a heart for the poor and those suffering injustice and societal rejection, Booth and his wife Catherine started the Christian Mission in 1865 to feed the hungry and provide shelter for those in need. By 1878 the name was changed to the Salvation Army, and it was organized and run along military lines, with Booth heading it as its first General. In 1890, General Booth published his ideas on how to alleviate poverty in his written work called “In Darkest England, and the Way Out” with the help of William Thomas Stead. Initially, these ideas were criticized, however, once the results could be seen, public sympathy was aroused. From humble beginnings, the organization grew exponentially, mustering widespread public support in England, including that of the crown — King Edward VII in 1904.

Booth’s own three children were involved in the work of the Salvation Army together with his daughter Evangeline Cory Booth. She became commander of the U.S. branch of the Salvation Army in 1904. She introduced a lot of reforms and was a strong administrator in the North American branch, headquartered in New York. While The Salvation Army did find its roots in England, the quintessential ‘red kettle’ originated in San Francisco in 1981, where The Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee made a vow to feed 1,000 poor people on Christmas Day but struggled with ideas on fundraising for it. Inspiration hit, and he placed a large red spot on the street, with a sign reading, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” He soon had enough money to fulfill his promise, and with it, the red kettle donation culture was born. A 1994 publication, “Chronicle of Philanthropy,” showed that in a study, The Salvation Army was ranked four out of 100 most popular non-profit charities, so we encourage you to learn more about all that it does.