In our community impact segment we gave a shout put to the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian movement and an international charitable organization structured in a quasi-military fashion. The organization reports a worldwide membership of over 1.5 million,[2] consisting of soldiers, officers and adherents known as Salvationists. Its founders Catherine and William Booth sought to bring salvation to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their “physical and spiritual needs”. It is present in 127 countries,[3] running charity shops, operating shelters for the homeless and disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries.

The Army was founded in 1865 in London by one-time Methodist circuit-preacher William Booth and his wife Catherine as the East London Christian Mission. In 1878 Booth reorganised the mission, becoming its first General and introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day.[5] The current world leader of The Salvation Army is General André Cox, who was elected by the High Council of The Salvation Army on 3 AugThe Salvation Army was founded in London’s East End in 1865 by one-time Methodist Reform Church minister William Booth and his wife Catherine as the East London Christian Mission. The name “The Salvation Army” developed from an incident on 19 and 20 May. William Booth was dictating a letter to his secretary George Scott Railton and said, “We are a volunteer army.” Bramwell Booth heard his father and said, “Volunteer! I’m no volunteer, I’m a regular!” Railton was instructed to cross out the word “volunteer” and substitute the word “salvation”.[6] The Salvation Army was modelled after the military, with its own flag (or colours) and its own hymns, often with words set to popular and folkloric tunes sung in the pubs. Booth and the other soldiers in “God’s Army” would wear the Army’s own uniform, for meetings and ministry work. He became the “General” and his other ministers were given appropriate ranks as “officers“. Other members became “soldiers“.[7]ust 2013.[citation needed]

In 1880, the Salvation Army started its work in three other countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United States.

The Salvation Army’s main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other “undesirables” unwelcome in polite Christian society, which helped prompt the Booths to start their own church

The Salvation Army’s reputation in the United States improved as a result of its disaster relief efforts following the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The familiar use of bell ringers to solicit donations from passers-by “helps complete the American portrait of Christmas.”[according to whom?]

In the U.S. alone, over 25,000 volunteers with red kettles are stationed near retail stores during the weeks preceding Christmas for fundraising.[9] The church remains a highly visible and sometimes controversial presence in many parts of the world.

As of 1 September 2015 the Salvation Army operates in 127 countries and provides services in 175 different languages

Its stated membership (as quoted from 2010 Year Book) includes 16,938 active and 9,190 retired officers, 1,122,326 soldiers, 189,176 Adherents, 39,071 Corps Cadets, 378,009 Junior Soldiers, around 104,977 other employees and more than 4.5 million volunteers.

The Salvation Army is one of the world’s largest providers of social aid,[citation needed] with expenditures including operating costs of $2.6 billion in 2004, helping more than 32 million people in the U.S. alone.

Salute to Children’s Hospital by Louis Howard

The hospital was founded as the seven-bed Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in 1907  after The death of Anna Clise’s young son from inflammatory rheumatism in 1898 made her tragically aware of the lack of specialized care for children – and inspired her to take action.

With the help of 23 female friends, Clise established the first facility in the Pacific Northwest to treat these children, most of who would otherwise have been left to endure pain and disability throughout their lives.

Clise’s original vision – to care for children regardless of race, religion, gender or a family’s ability to pay – still guides Seattle Children’s today.

Seattle Children’s, formerly Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, formerly Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, is a children’s hospital in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. n 1953, Children’s moved to a new campus in Laurelhurst, east of the University of Washington   In 2016, it was ranked as the 5th best children’s hospital in America by U.S. News and World Report and was ranked #4 in nephrology, #6 in cancer, #5 in neonatology, #13 in gastroenterology and GI surgery, #11 in pulmonology and #9 in neurology and neurosurgery.[1]

Seattle Children’s was ahead of its time at the turn of the 20th century. The same is true at the turn of the 21st century. Many of our physicians are national leaders in their fields, using their skill and experience to discover new cures and deliver the very latest, best treatments available – all part of our mission to prevent, treat and eliminate pediatric disease.

In 2014, Seattle Children’s received the largest donation in its history: $73.9M from Jack R. MacDonald

Under you Inspire Hope: ways to get involved:

Start A Guild: There is a independent network of Guids with over 5000 volunteers. Many sorts and celebrities support these fundraisers every year. One such Guild is The Imagine Guild.

In 2009, the Imagine Guild moved the Gala and Auction to the Fremont Studios where John Curley hosted an evening of laughs and fundraising to benefit the kids. We also featured the Bagger Build-off competition between Paul Yaffe/Destination Harley-Davidson and Brian Klock/Downtown Harley-Davidson.

In 2008, CR 13 raised more than $700,000 for Children’s Hospital. Who could have predicted that Children’s Ride would become one of the top five guild fundraisers for Children’s Hospital as well as one of the largest charity motorcycle events in the Pacific Northwest?

The Imagine Guild and Children’s Ride was founded in 1995 by Rick Baldwin. In 1974, Rick’s daughter Tessa was admitted to Children’s Hospital for treatment of third-degree burns when a coffee pot toppled onto her  Being a young father with limited financial resources, Rick benefited from the uncompensated care fund provided by Children’s Hospital. Always wanting to repay the hospital for the care his family received, Rick combined his love for motorcycles with his gratitude to CIn 2005, Children’s Ride grew from a one-day to a three day weekend event. The Children’s Ride Gala and Auction made its debut as a resounding success that year. Attracting one of the top custom motorcycle builders in the industry today, Paul Yaffe built a one-of-a-kind custom chopper for the auction. Excitement was at an all time high in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom as Edgar Martinez of the Seattle Mariners and Chad Eaton, a former Seattle Seahawk, matched each other bid for bid on the custom motorcycle until Edgar offered the winning bid of $95,000.children’s Hospital and the idea for Children’s Ride was born.

Other Ways to Help:

Donate a Toy

Your donation of new toys, gift cards and other items help patients and families when they need comfort Ways to Donate