The Salvation Army is a large and important charitable institution, both locally and around the world.  The Red Shield Center in Champaign, Illinois provides vital emergency services to those in need in Champaign County. The Red Shield Center houses administrative offices, an emergency social services office, a thrift store, and a men’s shelter.  It also hosts various events throughout the year, such as a winter coat drive and Christmas assistance for families. 

The Salvation Army is one of the best-known religious and charitable institutions in the world, and has a long tradition of helping society’s most vulnerable and needy populations.  The Salvation Army was founded by William and Catherine Booth, a husband-and-wife team who dedicated themselves to bringing the word of God to the poorest and most desperate neighborhoods of London. William Booth embarked upon ministerial work in 1852, and by the 1880s the Salvation Army was going strong, finding many converts in England and around the world. Today, the Salvation Army operates in 124 countries and is one of the world’s largest providers of social aid.

The Salvation Army began working in Illinois in 1885, and by the mid-twentieth century was an established presence in the Champaign-Urbana community. The Red Shield Center on Market Street opened in 2006, after relocating from its previous location at 119 East University Avenue.

Other Salvation Army locations in Champaign:

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