National Donut Day facts for kids
National Donut Day is a special day celebrated in the United States and some other countries. It happens on the first Friday of June every year. This day honors a tradition started by The Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938. They wanted to remember their members who gave doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. It's a day to celebrate the yummy doughnut! Many doughnut shops in America even give away free doughnuts on this day.
The Story of Donut Day
National Donut Day began in 1938 as a way to raise money for The Salvation Army in Chicago. Their main goal was to help people who were struggling during the Great Depression. They also wanted to honor the brave women from the Salvation Army, known as "Lassies," who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.
After the United States joined World War I in 1917, the Salvation Army sent a team to France. They wanted to see what American soldiers needed. They found that soldiers could use places called "huts" where they could relax. These huts offered baked goods, writing supplies, and even mended clothes. Each hut usually had six helpers, including four women volunteers. They were there to support the soldiers. The Salvation Army set up these huts near army training centers in the United States.
About 250 Salvation Army volunteers went to France. It was hard to bake fresh food in these huts. They were often in old buildings close to the fighting. So, two volunteers, Margaret Sheldon and Helen Purviance, came up with a great idea: doughnuts! Doughnuts were easy to make and serve. They became very popular right away. Soon, many soldiers visited the Salvation Army huts. Margaret Sheldon once wrote about a busy day: "Today I made 22 pies, 300 doughnuts, 700 cups of coffee."
The women who made and served these treats became known as "Doughnut Girls." Later, during World War II, Red Cross volunteers also gave out doughnuts. They were often called "Doughnut Dollies."
Some people think that the term "doughboy" for U.S. infantry soldiers came from the doughnuts. However, this term was actually used much earlier, even during the Mexican–American War (1846–47).
Today, in Chicago and other cities, National Donut Day still helps raise money for the Salvation Army. For example, in 2017, they worked with stores like Russ's Market and Krispy Kreme. They raised funds in places like Lincoln, Nebraska, and Tempe, Arizona.
There are a few other doughnut holidays too. National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day is usually on June 8. National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day is on September 14. And Buy a Doughnut Day happens on October 30.
Donut Day in Australia
In South Australia, Donut Day is also celebrated on the first Friday of June. Here, Krispy Kreme works with the Salvation Army. They have fun events like a celebrity doughnut decorating contest. They also give away doughnuts. Plus, they sell a special "Red Shield Hope Donut." All the money from these sales helps the Salvation Army's work in Australia.
In Australia in 2020, the phrase "doughnut day" got a new meaning. It started to mean a day with zero new coronavirus cases. This is because a doughnut looks like a zero! It became a symbol of hope and recovery during long lockdowns.
