BACKGROUNDER

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency

assistance to people across the world. The organizations founder, Clara Barton, brought

supplies to soldiers on the battlefield in the Civil War. Bartons efforts saved the lives of

those suffering from combat. Clara Barton set an example that eventually led to the

creation of the organization. As a result, millions of families and individuals now rely on

the services of the American Red Cross.

For the past century, the American Red Cross has carried out a humanitarian

mission to help future generations. The organization has a wide range of services that

apply to different situations. Food and shelter are delivered to families whose houses

have been destroyed. Lifesaving blood is given to people who are in life-threatening

situations. Health and safety training is offered to first responders. The American Red

Cross also takes steps to help out the United States military. The organization

accomplishes this by assisting military families who are coping with the difficulties of

military service.

The organization is comprised of volunteers and donors who devote their time

and effort to the cause. The American Red Cross performs five different services to

accommodate everyone in need. Some examples of these services include disaster relief

as well as service to the armed forces. The disaster services team is made up of

volunteers who are trained to respond to emergencies and relieve suffering. These

emergencies may involve natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The service

1
BACKGROUNDER

to the armed forces revolves around the idea of keeping military families connected. The

goal is to make sure these families are able to stay in touch while they are separated. The

health and safety service educates volunteers on how to save people in life-threatening

situations. This includes volunteers and donors contributing time and knowledge gained

from training. The blood service team establishes a system that collects and supplies

blood across the nation. Finally, international services work outside of the country to

provide relief to countries that are struggling. This expansion gives the American Red

Cross the opportunity to help countries other than the U.S. Overall, these five main

services allow the organization to help people suffering from distinct and contrasting

issues.

A staple within the American Red Cross is the Clara Barton Society. This society,

inspired by Barton, works to preserve the organization through dependable donations. It

is comprised of philanthropic leaders who give an annual donation of $1,000 or more to

the organization. Members believe this will create stability within the American Red Cross

to consistently alleviate human suffering. As a result, the organization is able to always

have lifesaving services at their disposal. The society honors the pioneer, Clara Barton,

who blazed the trail for the American Red Cross Organization.

The daily impact of the American Red Cross is primarily because of its five main

services. American Red Cross volunteers help 185 families a day that have lost everything

in a disaster. The organization also re-connects 879 military families a day. Training

sessions and blood transfusions are conducted thousands of times a day. Children from

foreign countries receive necessary vaccines over 300,000 times a day. These numbers

2
BACKGROUNDER

represent the humanitarian mission of the the American Red Cross and how many people

are impacted by its existence

Media Contact:

Logan Nowicki
nlogan7@vt.edu
410-733-2790