General Info

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. In 1865, a Methodist minister named William Booth took to the slums of London's east end and began his battle against hunger and homelessness. Booth, recognizing the physical and spiritual needs of these people, established a ministry based on the philosophy of "soup, soap and salvation." Along with his wife Catherine and an evangelical crusade of soldiers, Booth hit the streets of London with the fervor of a military crusader. Today The Salvation Army serves in more than 113 countries and territories, preaches the gospel in over 160 languages, operates hundreds of rehabilitation centers for the physically and socially handicapped, provides education at every level in more than 1,700 schools. The Salvation Army's membership consists of 3,500 officers, 60,000 employees, 113,000 soldiers, 430,000 adherents and more than 3.5 million volunteers. The Salvation Army has a location in Roseville, Minn.