Why Your Donut Day Tradition Actually Honors WWI Heroes

Before National Donut Day becomes just another excuse to raid the bakery case, here’s what’s really worth celebrating: a century-old legacy of women who brought comfort to soldiers in the trenches of World War I.

The Salvation Army’s“Donut Lassies”weren’t serving pastries for fun. In 1917, these lady soldiers and volunteers traveled to France to support American troops on the front lines, doing whatever they could—sewing, cooking, offering ministry, or simply listening. One of their most inspired ideas? Fresh donuts. Simple as it sounds, those treats represented something profound: a piece of home, a moment of normalcy, a tangible reminder that someone back in America cared enough to make the effort.

The legacy stuck. When The Salvation Army established the first National Donut Day in Chicago in 1938, it wasn’t just nostalgia—it was a fundraising push to help people struggling through the Great Depression. Today, celebrated on the first Friday of June, the tradition has evolved. This year, Major Peter Pemberton shared how The Salvation Army continues the spirit of those original Lassies by supporting veterans and first responders. Around Sacramento and Northern California, Salvation Army units are delivering donuts to firefighters and police, while teams like Deloitte are volunteering at the Salvation Army Alhambra Campus, sprucing up playgrounds and creating impact in local communities.

What makes this story resonate now, in 2026, is that the work of recognizing sacrifice hasn’t changed—only the methods. Whether it was a Donut Lassie handing a treat to a homesick soldier or a local firefighter receiving a box of donuts today, the message is identical: we see you, we appreciate you, and we thank you for what you do.

So when you grab your favorite donut this Friday—whether it’s a simple glazed, a cake donut, or something fancier—you’re doing more than indulging. You’re participating in a tradition that spans over a century and honors both the courage of those who served and the compassion of those who supported them.