International Salvation Army Celebrates 150 Years
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From July 1-5, 2015, more than 15,000 (1,000 from Canada) Salvation Army members and friends united in London, UK, at the Boundless Congress, to celebrate 150 years of bringing help and hope to the world’s most vulnerable.
The Salvation Army began its work in 1865 when William Booth, a London minister, abandoned the conventional concept of a church and a pulpit and took his message of hope to the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the destitute.
By 1867 The Salvation Army had developed into a ministry offering basic schooling, reading rooms, penny banks, soup kitchens, and relief aid to the destitute.
Today, The Salvation Army is active in 126 countries with a mission to meet human needs, without discrimination, be transforming influences and promote the dignity of all persons.
The Salvation Army in Canada
The Salvation Army began its work in Canada in 1882. Since then, it has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country.
Salvation Army programs and services are available in 400 communities, benefitting 1.8 million people every year.
Poverty impacts one in 10 Canadians and, with changing times and needs, Salvation Army services continue to evolve, changing lives and strengthening communities.