National Doughnut Day
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Overview
National Doughnut Day is celebrated on the first Friday of June each year, honoring the Salvation Army 'Doughnut Lassies' who provided comfort and support to soldiers by serving them doughnuts on the front lines during World War I. Today, it's a popular occasion for bakeries and shops to offer free or discounted doughnuts, celebrating the beloved fried pastry and its historical significance.
Origin and story
The holiday originated in 1938 in Chicago as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the 'Doughnut Lassies' of WWI.
During World War I, Salvation Army volunteers would make and serve fresh doughnuts to American soldiers in the trenches of France, providing a morale boost and a taste of home.
Quick facts
- DateJune 7
- TypeCultural / community observance
- Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams
Also on this date
Ways to celebrate
The free doughnuts handed out every first Friday of June trace back to a specific act of wartime improvisation, not a marketing invention.
Thank the "Doughnut Lassies" first
In 1917, Salvation Army volunteers Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance began frying doughnuts in soldiers' helmets at the front lines in France — a wartime improvisation that boosted troop morale and earned volunteers the nickname "Doughnut Lassies."
Know why Chicago started the holiday
The Salvation Army's Chicago chapter created the first official National Donut Day in 1938, both to honor those WWI volunteers and to raise funds for people in need during the Great Depression — it's kept its spot on the first Friday of June ever since.
Read the Salvation Army's own account
Helpful resources:
Did you know?
The doughnut's now-famous hole is often credited to 19th-century New England sea captain Hanson Gregory, who said he punched it out of his mother's fried dough so the centers would finally cook all the way through.
Fun facts
- The holiday originated in 1938 in Chicago as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army to help those in need during the Great Depression and to commemorate the 'Doughnut Lassies' of WWI.
- During World War I, Salvation Army volunteers would make and serve fresh doughnuts to American soldiers in the trenches of France, providing a morale boost and a taste of home.
- The iconic doughnut hole is often credited to mid-19th-century New England ship captain Hanson Gregory, who reportedly punched holes in his mother's fried dough to ensure even cooking.
Sources and attribution
National Donut Day (The Salvation Army)
External links may lead to third-party websites.
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FAQ
- When is National Doughnut Day?
- It is observed on the first Friday of June each year.
- What is National Doughnut Day?
- National Doughnut Day is celebrated on the first Friday of June each year, honoring the Salvation Army 'Doughnut Lassies' who provided comfort and support to soldiers by serving them doughnuts on the front lines during World War I. Today, it's a popular occasion for bakeries and shops to offer free or discounted doughnuts, celebrating the beloved fried pastry and its historical significance.
- How do people celebrate National Doughnut Day?
- Pick up a free or discounted doughnut from a participating bakery — a tradition that traces to 1938, when the Salvation Army's Chicago chapter created the day to honor WWI 'Doughnut Lassies' and raise Depression-era relief funds.
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