The History of The L.A. Red Shield

In 1929, The Salvation Army established a community playground adjacent to its headquarters building on 832 West 9th Street. The playground was lit at night and was heavily used by youngsters in the neighborhood.

 In 1942, seeing the growth of the community and the rise of delinquency warranted an increased program, the Red Shield boys club was organized and housed in a small wood frame building at the rear of the playground. By 1947, the Program was flourishing and had severely outgrown its small facility on 9th Street.

A Capital Campaign was organized by The Salvation Army for the purpose of raising necessary money for the Booth Memorial Center and the Los Angeles Day Care Center, and the funds to construct a new and enlarged Red Shield Center. When all the money was in, the Booth Center and L.A. Day Care Center had met their fundraising goal, but the money raised for the Red Shield was just enough to buy a couple of vacant lots on 11th Street and none to consider beginning construction. The new Red Shield building would cost $100,000 to build.

At this point, the radio industry of Los Angeles was asked to help. Under the direction of The Salvation Army's Public Relations Director, Lloyd Doctor and KFI Radio Station Manager Charley Hamilton, a unique fundraising "gimmick" was devised that proved quite successful. The "gimmick" was the formation of "Committee of One-Hundred Thousand", with each committee member enlisted by an all-out radio appeal by the city's disc jockeys. To become a member, listeners were asked to send in one dollar to be used to construct the Red Shield. Soon local newspapers took an interest and sufficient funds were raised in no time. The first to be built in 1949 was the gym and game room, which officially opened in 1950.

Again the Red Shield experienced tremendous growth and in 1954, the Los Angeles Junior League Girls Club wing was built and the "Harry Chandler Memorial Pool was also built that same year. Once again to accommodate growth, the expansion of the Red Shield continues with the construction of a new two-story building that will house a new computer lab, library and state- of-the-art dance studio.

Swipe through the gallery below to see The L.A. Red Shield through the years.