A Salvation Army History

The Salvation Army thrift store and the social services the organization provides are a fixture in American communities from coast to coast

. One of the largest and most widely known secondhand stores in the US, the Salvation Army is involved in international aid work as well. It is a charity organization founded on Protestant Christian principles.

The Salvation Army, or Sally Ann as Canadians call it, runs everything from homeless shelters and free meals to free drug rehab programs. It has been established for nearly 150 years, has its roots in the UK and has spread to nearly every country on the planet.

The money that Salvation Army thrift stores, or Charity Shops as they call them within the organization, make is used to keep their vast network of social and human services up and running. In particular, the Salvation Army has offered free rehab for drug and alcohol abusers. Their programs have a religious angle and use the Christian Bible for guidance.

The people behind this now massively global aid organization are William and Catherine Booth of East London. They founded the Army in 1865 and based the infrastructure on that of the military. Even today, Salvation Army leaders are called Generals and others are called Soldiers. The organization has its own flag, uniform, emblem, musical scores and much more.

Both William and Catherine Booth were deeply religious and grounded in their Protestant faith. When they founded the organization, William was retired from ministry work but Catherine was very active. It was notably unusual for a woman to be actively offering clergy services but that did not stop her.

As the Army's anti-alcohol stance and general drug rehab services took hold in London, local pub owners raised a row. The organization was already so successful that the decreasing number of community alcoholics was threatening the pubs financially! Though unfortunate for the small business owners losing customers, this scenario is a testament to the radical effectiveness of the Salvation Army's services.

Within a few decades of beginning, the Salvation Army had spread to three new countries: Australia, Ireland and the US. New members often were waiting patiently for leaders from London to come spearhead their local efforts to provide services and charity care.

In the US, the Army gained acclaim among the common person when they stepped in and played a key relief role in the wake of two natural disasters. In the early 1900s, a hurricane in Texas and an earthquake in California roused interest and support for the Army.

Today, in the United States, the Salvation Army is a fixture during Christmas time in particular. Soldiers will stand near red donation buckets ringing a bell and encourage people to dig deep and offer up a little something for the poor. The red and white thrift store is another key element of American culture provided by the Salvation Army.

by: goldiethoimpson@gmail.com

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