About Potomac Division
Serving Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and D.C.—The Salvation Army Potomac Division offers help, hope, and community support.
Led by Divisional Commanders Majors Daniel & Sarah Nelson, The Salvation Army Potomac Division works across Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Across the Blue Ridge to the Tidewater, from Appalachia to the shores of the Atlantic, the Division includes 53 Corps plus Service Extensions that are managed by 112 officers and 780 employees. In 2023, more than 521,000 individuals were served through emergency assistance, rehabilitation programs, food pantries, children and youth character-building programs, sheltering, youth camp, feeding programs, Christmas assistance, rental and utility assistance, and pastoral care.
Our work is funded through kettle donations, corporate contributions, and the sale of goods donated to our Salvation Army Thrift Stores. Eighty-two cents of every dollar we receive supports the community. We are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and contributions are deductible for Federal Income Tax Purposes to the extent permitted under Section 170(b)(2) for corporations.
Our New Location, Where it All Began
The Salvation Army Potomac Division moved into its new divisional headquarters building at 1555 King Street, Alexandria, in April 2023. For more than 20 years, The Salvation Army had divisional headquarters on the edge of Georgetown in Washington, DC. The move allowed us to create a space that better meets our needs and the way we work today, including flexible, collaborative work areas for our staff.
It is fitting that The Salvation Army returned to Old Town, because it was at 316 King Street, where the town square and fountain now stand, that our work in the region began in 1885. A plaque marks the spot where our first services in Alexandria took place, a humble beginning that set the foundation for the expansion of our mission throughout Washington, D.C., and beyond.
