General Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the founder of the Red Cross?
The Red Cross idea was born in 1859. Henry Dunant, a young Swiss, witnessed a bloody battle in Solferino, Italy, between the armies of imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian Alliance. Some 40,000 men lay dead or dying on the battlefield and the wounded were lacking medical attention. Dunant organized local people to bind the soldiers’ wounds and feed and comfort them. On his return, he called for the creation of national relief societies to assist those wounded in war, and pointed the way to the future Geneva Conventions.
In October 1863, The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement were created in Geneva, Switzerland, to provide nonpartisan care to the wounded and sick in times of war. The Red Cross emblem was adopted at this first International Conference as a symbol of neutrality and was to be used by national relief societies. In August 1864, the representatives of 12 governments signed the Geneva Convention Treaty.
The extraordinary efforts of Henry Dunant led to the eventual establishment of the International Red Cross. Today, the Red Cross Movement incorporates the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the International Federation), as well as National Societies in 175 countries, including the American Red Cross of the United States.
Who founded the American Red Cross?
Clara Barton (1821-1912) was the first person to establish a lasting Red Cross Society in America. She organized the American Association of the Red Cross in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 1881. Created to serve America in peace and in war, during times of disaster and national calamity, Barton’s organization took its service beyond that of the International Red Cross Movement by adding disaster relief to battlefield assistance. She served as the organization’s volunteer president until 1904.
Is the American Red Cross part of the U.S. government?
The American Red Cross functions independently of the government but works closely with government agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during times of major crises. It is responsible for giving aid to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and to disaster victims at home and abroad. It does this through services that are consistent with its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement allowing the Red Cross to stay neutral and impartial. Race, religion, legal or economic status are irrelevant to receiving Red Cross assistance.
How does the American Red Cross support the U.S. Armed Forces?
In 1905, the U.S. Congress granted a charter to the American Red Cross that required it to act “in accord with the military authorities as a medium of communication between the people of the United States and their armed forces.” Since then, the Red Cross has provided communications and other humanitarian services to help members of the U.S. military and their families around the world. Living and working in the same difficult situations and dangerous environment as U.S. troops, Red Cross staff has given comfort to soldiers thousands of miles from home by providing emergency messages, about deaths and births, for example, and comfort kits for loved ones to send to their troops.
What is the worst disaster the Red Cross has ever dealt with?
The natural disaster with the highest death toll in U.S. history was the Galveston, Texas, hurricane of 1900 in which an estimated 6,000 people were killed. Clara Barton, founder and president of the American Red Cross in 1900, gathered a team and traveled by train from Washington, D.C., to Galveston to provide relief.
Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on August 29, 2005, is the most expensive single, natural disaster in the organization’s history to date. This hurricane necessitated the largest mobilization of Red Cross workers for a single relief operation. In the weeks and months that followed that storm, two subsequent severe hurricanes—Rita and Wilma—struck the GulfCoast states during the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
More than 233,000 Red Cross workers were activated and/or deployed to provide shelter, food, water and other immediate necessities for millions of storm survivors. Ninety-five percent of those workers were volunteers. As the response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma shifted from emergency relief to providing recovery assistance, cost estimates for the operation reached $2.116 billion.
Why won’t the Red Cross accept small, individual donations of supplies or collections of items such as clothing and food? Doesn’t every little bit help?
The Red Cross does not accept individual donations of material items (called “in-kind” donations) because receipt of such items can actually hamper relief efforts. The financial and personnel cost of receiving, sorting, transporting goods and ensuring the quality and cleanliness of items donated by individual households is very high. It does not allow for individuals and families to receive what they uniquely need in their own size and shape.
What are the requirements to volunteer?
There are minimal requirements around age, health and background check factors to help the Red Cross. Click here for relevant information.
Where can I give blood?
Individuals wishing to make a blood donation to the Red Cross may call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit www.givelife.org to find a blood drive near you. At this time, customer service staff can address questions in English only.
How can the Red Cross help me?
The Red Cross is committed to saving lives and easing suffering. This diverse organization serves humanity and helps you by providing relief to victims of disaster, both locally and globally. The Red Cross is responsible for half of the nation’s blood supply and blood products.
The Red Cross gives health and safety training to the public and provides emergency social services to U.S. military members and their families. In the wake of an earthquake, tornado, flood, fire, hurricane or other disaster, it provides relief services to communities across the country. The Red Cross is America’s most trusted charity, and it needs the support of compassionate Americans to succeed.
