To some, a haircut might seem like a simple thing, but to Ellie Ollenberger andthose she helps, it’s a gift of hope. The 22-year-old hair stylist at Bromley Hair Lounge in Maple Ridge, B.C., volunteers to cut hair at The Salvation Army’s Ridge Meadows Ministries. “Giving back to my community is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she says.

The Salvation Navy began in 1885 after General William Booth was presented with the three-masted steam yacht Iole. From this ship, meetings were conducted, and Bibles and religious books were distributed.