The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian organization William and Catherine Booth founded it in the East End of London, England in 1865. It was called the Christian Mission to start with, but in 1878, the name was changed. The Booths came from a Methodist tradition, but today the teachings of the movement are mainstream Protestant. They focus on preaching, and on helping those in need. They also actively help in disaster relief.
Overview
The Salvation Army operates in over 100 countries today. Its members devote themselves to teaching Christian morals, helping those in need, like the homeless, the sick, the poor, and others. It operates facilities like shelters, , orphanages, , and a , and offers Sunday church services. It is one of the largest charitable organisations in the world, which means that it relies on people to give it money to use.
Worldwide outreach
1865 - England
1874 - Wales
1879 - Jersey, Scotland
1880 - Australia, Ireland, United States of America
1881 - France
1882 - Alderney, Canada, Guernsey, India, Sweden, Switzerland
1883 - Isle of Man, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka
1884 - St Helena
1886 - Germany, Newfoundland
1887 - Denmark, Italy, Jamaica, Netherlands
1888 - Norway
1889 - Belgium, Finland
1890 - Argentina, Uruguay
1891 - Zimbabwe, Zululand
1894 - Aland (until 1950), Hawaii, Indonesia
1895 - Gibraltar (until 1968), Guyana, Iceland, Japan
1896 - Bermuda, Malta (until 1972)
1898 - Alaska, Barbados
1901 - Trinidad & Tobago
1902 - Grenada, Saint Lucia
1903 - Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent & the Grenadines
1904 - Panama
1907 - Costa Rica
1908 - Korea
1909 - Chile
1910 - Paraguay, Peru
1913 - Russia (until 1923)
1915 - Belize, Myanmar
1916 - China (until 1951), Mozambique, St Kitts
1917 - U.S. Virgin Islands
1918 - Cuba
1919 - Czechoslovakia (until 1950)
1920 - Bolivia, Nigeria
1921 - Kenya
1922 - Brazil, Ghana, Zambia
1923 - Latvia (until 1939)
1924 - Faroe Islands, Hungary (until 1949)
1926 - Suriname
1927 - Austria, Estonia (until 1940), Curacao (until 1980)
1930 - Hong Kong
1931 - Bahamas, Uganda
1933 - French Guiana (until 1952), Tanzania, Yugoslavia (until 1948)
1934 - Algeria (until 1970), Congo (Kinshasa), Manchukuo (until 1945)
1935 - Singapore
1936 - Egypt (until 1949)
1937 - Congo (Brazzaville), Mexico, Philippines
1938 - Malaysia
1950 - Haiti
1956 - Papua New Guinea
1960 - Swaziland
1962 - Puerto Rico
1965 - Taiwan
1967 - Malawi
1969 - Lesotho
1970 - Bangladesh
1971 - Portugal, Spain
1972 - Venezuela
1973 - Fiji
1976 - Guatemala
1978 - Canary Islands
1980 - French Guiana (recommenced)
1985 - Angola, Colombia, Ecuador, Marshall Islands
1986 - Tonga
1988 - Liberia
1989 - El Salvador, Thailand (until 1993)
1990 - Czech Republic (recommenced), Hungary (recommenced), Latvia (recommenced)
1991 - Russia (recommenced)
1992 - Belarus (until 1996), Somalia (until 1995)
1993 - Georgia, Ukraine
1994 - Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova
1995 - Dominican Republic, Estonia (recommenced)
1996 - Rwanda
1997 - Botswana
1999 - St Maarten
2000 - Macau
2004 - Lithuania, Romania
2005 - Falkland Islands, Poland
2007 - Burundi, Greece
Eurovision Song Contest
People from the Swiss branch of the Salvation army qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest, 2013 in Malmo. At first, they were refused at the ESC. They could participate, but they had to change their name (to Takasa), and they also had to agree not to wear the typical uniforms on stage. They didn't qualify for the final round, though.
Other similar organizations
The Church of England has operated the Church Army, since 1882
Legio Mariae was founded in 1921, and has a Roman Catholic background.