DENVER, May 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of National Donut Day, everyone who visits LaMar's Donuts on Friday, June 6, will get a free donut with no purchase necessary, as LaMar's partners with the Salvation Army in an annual fundraising campaign in western states.

National Donut Day is celebrated the first Friday of every June, a tradition dating to 1917, when women Salvation Army volunteers known as "Lassies" made donuts for soldiers on the front lines of World War I.

This year, donation kettles are being placed in participating LaMar's locations in advance of National Donut Day and throughout the month of June. Proceeds of the campaign will go toward Salvation Army programs supporting a variety of humanitarian causes.

In addition, LaMar's stores are donating a portion of sales proceeds that week to The Salvation Army's programs that provide meals to children in need.

"The Salvation Army's tireless mission to keep children clothed, sheltered and fed is an enduring reminder that many of our neighbors are in need," LaMar's COO Matt Joslin said. "LaMar's is inviting communities we serve into our shops for free donuts and ask only that they consider donating to a praiseworthy cause."

The free-donut offer is good for any regular donut already available. LaMar's Bars, Bizmarks, fritters and other products made without a center hole are exempted.

LaMar's Donuts are made fresh every morning with no artificial preservatives. Every LaMar's product is produced by hand from start to finish, beginning with kneading of the dough to the made-from-scratch icing and glazes.

About LaMar's Donuts – After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar's Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in six states. LaMar's has won numerous awards and favorable reviews by such publications as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat, the world's most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar's Donuts are proclaimed by many as "simply a better donut."

About The Salvation Army – The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has supported those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year across 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, please visit www.imsalvationarmy.org.