Informative Essay: The Salvation Army

Alana Ellis

Carolyn Crane

English 1C

6/26/2017

Paper 1

Many people say that they want to end world hunger, stop global warming, create world peace. To these people, the answers seem to lie in charity. Charity is defined as “generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering” and, “an institution engaged in relief of the poor” (Merriam Webster Dictionary online). Motivated by the first definition of charity, people are driven to engage in trying to help those in need and alleviate their suffering. An example of one such charity is the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army was founded in East London in the year 1865, by William Booth and his wife, first debuting as the Christian Mission. Booth was, “Determined to wage war against the evils of poverty and religious indifference with military efficiency.” (History.com). It began as a soup kitchen that offered welfare to those in need by ministers or volunteers. In 1880, Salvation Army made its way to Pennsylvania U.S.A. After years of aid in both London and the U.S they gained status and were regarded as a very reputable charity. Boasting locations in over 75 countries by the year 2010, they now have branches in 128 countries around the

One of their goals is to combat rampant diseases and treat serious health problems and disabilities. On their website it states that they have “183 health programmes in 39 countries, focusing on healthcare and the prevention of disease. These include 23 general hospitals and more than 150 clinics and health posts.” (Salvation Army) Along with offering health care, they also fight against trafficking, modern slavery, to name a few. Salvation Army branches offer food to those who don’t have the money to acquire it on their own, offering aide to people from families to the homeless. While many charities have similar goals to Salvation Army, the Salvation Army is one of the most well-established charities of its