Although it is a seemingly minor national holiday centered around ring-shaped sugary delicacies, National Donut Day — which takes place semi-annually on both the first Friday of June and Nov. 5 — has a much deeper origin.
The first donut day was celebrated in Chicago, Illinois in 1938 to commemorate the bravery of the Salvation Army’s Donut Lassies, women volunteers who were sent to France in 1917. They established field bases and distributed donuts along with essential goods to troops on the front lines during WWI.
In this difficult time, these women boosted morale for thousands of soldiers. Now, years later, their legacy of charity has continued on as the Salvation Army Social Services continue to help vulnerable families and individuals living in the U.S.
These Donut Lassies are attributed with popularizing donuts in the United States, so in celebration of this holiday, here are some delicious donuts that can be found at local shops around La Salle!
![According to junior Katie Liu, Blue days are superior to Red days. “[Because of one lunch], I see that communities come together, there is more time for clubs to meet; I see people hang out with their friends that sometimes they're separated from because [of] A lunch or B lunch, and opportunity for more people to interact that usually wouldn't happen,” she said.](https://lasallefalconer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/405A7815-1200x800.jpg)
Chris Babinec • Nov 7, 2025 at 8:55 am
I learned something new today! Thank you! Very cool historical context.