In the USA the Salvation Army 's first major forays into disaster relief resulted from the tragedies of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . The Salvationists ' nationwide appeals for financial and material donations yielded tremendous support , enabling the Army to provide assistance to thousands . General Evangeline Booth , when she offered the services of Salvationists to President Woodrow Wilson during the First World War , thrust Salvation Army social and relief work to newer heights . Today the Salvation Army is best known for its charitable efforts
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The Salvation Army