The Salvation Army Home Service

Illustration of a red shield with white text on it on a white cirlce with a dark blue outer edge with white text on it

The Salvation Army was founded in England by William Booth and his wife, Catherine, in 1865. Booth conducted evangelical meetings throughout England, preaching to the poor and destitute. By 1867, The Salvation Army also began to offer a number of social assistance programs. The first meeting of the Salvation Army in the United States was organized by Eliza Shirley and was held in Philadelphia in 1879.

During the First World War, the Salvation Army provided a number of services to aid on the war effort. On the home front, Salvationists organized the collection of linens to be made into bandages and recruited volunteers to help create care packages for those fighting overseas. The Salvation Army also set up service centres next to military bases on the home front which provided canteens, recreational facilities, meeting rooms, libraries, and religious services.