Salvation Army observes National Donut Day

To mark the Salvation Army’s long history of service to American soldiers and vulnerable families, the Salvation Army San Marcos and Hays County observed Donut Day by delivering donuts to Wimberley EMS and Wimberley Fire and Rescue.

National Donut Day, an American holiday, originated from the compassionate efforts of The Salvation Army’s Donut Lassies during World War I. Brave women volunteers provided soldiers with donuts to boost morale and bring a taste of to the front lines.

In 1917, a group of women were sent to the front lines in France by The Salvation Army. They were directed to set up field bases near the front lines to try to boost morale among troops. The makeshift “huts” were a place where soldiers could stock up on necessities and get a small break from the fighting.

The women wanted to do more than simply restocking troop supplies. They began making home-cooked food for the troops in hopes the food would give them a small taste of home. It was during this time, the women who became known at the Donut Lassies began handing out treats that would become known as The Salvation Army Doughnut. The story says the doughnuts were cooked inside the helmets of the troops, dubbing them as “doughboys,” which was a standard term used for donuts. Despite extreme conditions, the Lassies were able to produce 9,000 donuts a day. The presence of these women and the donuts that tasted of home, brought a much-needed morale boost for soldiers.

The Donut Lassies are also credited with popularizing the donut in the U.S. after the troops came back from fighting in Europe. The Salvation Army created National Doughnut Day in 1938 to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers in World War I. This day began as a fundraiser for Chicago’s Salvation Army. The goal of their 1938 fundraiser was to help the needy during the Great Depression.

Over a hundred years later, The Salvation Army continues to serve on the front lines through a wide range of social services. In Hays County they provide utility, transportation, prescription, birth certificate and I.D. assistance. They also provide steel toe and non-slip shoes for new employees, emergency three-day lodging, disaster relief services and other referral services. For children they offer summer camp and Kathy’s Reading Program.