A new canteen truck staffed by trained Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services responders from the Massachusetts Division entered into service in time for the 128th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15ththanks to the donation of a generous donor.

The Salvation Army’s new custom canteen truck took 18 months to build and arrive. It was made possible by a $150,000 donation in 2022 by Dan Flatley, a Boston-based philanthropist and trustee of the Flatley Foundation.

During the 128th running of the Boston Marathon, more than 60 Salvation Army staff and volunteers were stationed at 6 canteens along the 26.2-mile route. The Salvation Army teams served over 2000 meals, 2500 snacks, and 3000 drinks to first responders and volunteers between Hopkinton and Boston.

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services has served thousands of first responders and survivors of many local disasters in the City of Boston since the official dedication of its first mobile emergency response canteen on March 25th, 1922.

In the truck’s first eight years, The Salvation Army’s red emergency “canteen” truck responded to more than 500 emergency calls from the Boston Fire Department to distribute food and hydration to Boston’s firefighters. For more information visit SalvationArmyMA.org/EDS.