How to donate to the Salvation Army

February 2, 2024 | 4 min read Charity

The Salvation Army is an international Christian charity, supporting vulnerable people in communities across Canada and 134 other countries. In 2022, they supported over 2.7 million Canadians from Vancouver to Montreal.

There are various ways you can make a Salvation Army donation, or if you feel passionately about the charity and want to support the causes they advocate for, why not start a GoFundMe to benefit them?

About the charity

The Salvation Army has been operating in Canada since 1882 and is now one of the country’s biggest social service providers. The charity offers support to vulnerable people in many different ways, including providing shelter to the homeless, food for children and families, and help for those affected by disaster.

Salvation Army charity projects

The Salvation Army runs several charity projects helping those who need it, from housing and shelter support to social services programs. If you’re inspired to start some charity fundraising after reading about what The Salvation Army does, we’ve got some tips on how to start your own charity fundraising here.

Housing and shelter support

The Salvation Army operates over 50 emergency shelters across Canada and Bermuda. Each night, they support men, women, youth and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness by providing 4,800 emergency shelters, and transitional and supportive housing beds. This effort is ramped up further when the nation experiences extreme winter weather.

The Salvation Army shelter programs offer a safe place, a warm bed, hot meals and tools to enhance stability. They also supplement every shelter stay with emotional and spiritual support.

Food services

Many Canadians struggle to afford to put food on the table. The Salvation Army aims to support these individuals by providing nutritious meals through food banks, soup kitchens, community meals and school feeding programs.

In 2022, 3.9 million meals were served at The Salvation Army’s shelters and feeding programs. Whether it’s families with children, unemployed people, workers on low wages or individuals on social assistance, their food services are available to anyone who needs them.

The Salvation Army is one of the largest direct providers of social services in the country. They offer a long list of services that help those Canadians who are most in need, providing a lifeline to individuals and families across the country.

The social services they offer include food banks and feeding programs,

shelter for people experiencing homelessness, rehabilitation for those struggling with addiction, long-term and palliative care, after-school and nutrition programs, and life-skills classes.

Emergency disaster relief

The Salvation Army has an international network of personnel who have been trained to respond to disasters and support those affected. The charity’s Emergency Disaster Services has responded to some of the country’s most catastrophic disasters, such as the six tornadoes that hit Ottawa and Gatineau in 2018.

How the charity uses donations

Now you know a bit more about the amazing work The Salvation Army does in Canada, it’s clear to see the vast amount of worthy causes your Salvation Army donations can support. In 2022/23, the charity used donations to:

Provide support for over 2.7 million people living in Canada and Bermuda.
Help 359,000 Canadians at Christmas with food hampers and toys.
Feed 115,000 students through school meal programs.
Visit 82,000 people in hospitals, nursing homes, daycare centres and other facilities.
Serve 3.9 million meals at shelters and feeding programs.
Help 37,000 vulnerable people in night patrol, rescue and suicide prevention.
Assist 1,500,000 people with food, clothing or practical assistance.
Provide shelter, addictions, detox and mental health beds to 4,800 Canadians.
Help 1,100 people when an emergency or natural disaster struck.