Executive Summary
This report was assigned to examine what American Red Cross does for America. The non-profit organization provides aid to those who need it. The research draws attention to five specific work that the American Red Cross does. Disaster Relief, Lifesaving Blood, Train and Certification, Military Families, International Services are the five main actions that the American Red Cross fulfils. Furthering into how the American Red Cross can achieve these actions is through the volunteers they have acquired since they have been around.
Introduction
The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on May 21, 1881. The She first heard about the Red Cross when she was in the Franco-Prussian War aiding the soldiers that were wounded. Jean-Henri Dunant was the first person to create the Red Cross with the help of four other men (Rosenberg, Jennifer). In 1900, the American Red Cross received a congressional charter, which meant that the group could start providing aid the army and their families (Our History). From then on, the American Red Cross continued to grow.
“For 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, the American Red Cross provides relief for families and communities in the form of blankets, food, blood and shelter. Volunteers provide these services for American people free of charge. These services and gifts include clothing, shoes, shelter, food, medical supplies and treatment are the very definition of humanitarian aid from one group of humans to another” (Long, Heather).
When there is a large disaster that the community of the area affected needs help the American Red Cross will be there aiding to the community’s needs. The American Red Cross will provide services before the disaster, during the disaster and after (Root). The American Red Cross’s mission is to “prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors” (Mission & Values.).
What American Red Cross Does
The American Red Cross provides disaster relief. If there was a disaster to occur the American Red Cross can provide overnight shelters, emergency supplies, health and mental health contacts and supply food (International Disasters and Crises).
Disaster Relief
The Overnight Shelters that the American Red Cross provides are crucial for people that were in a natural disaster because it gives them a place to stay if their home was damaged. The American Red Cross will have volunteers go to the area which was affected by the disaster and provide a hot mean and a place to sleep (Disaster Relief).
Another vital service that the American Red Cross provides is the distribution of emergency supplies. The American Red Cross will go to the place of the disaster and provide kits that have personal supplies. Deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and conditioner are some of the many items they supply for those who do not have them from the disaster (Disaster Relief). Other than the personal care kit that they provide they also will supply items to people that will help them clean their houses and area which was destroyed from the disaster. Trash bags, tarps, rakes and shovels are just some of the supplies they could provide if the area affected needed it. There are two in which the American Red Cross delivers these items. There could be a vehicle that will drive to the affected area and had out the supplies or there could be a center where people can come and get what they need (Disaster Relief).
Health & Mental Health Contacts
When these disasters happen, the American Red Cross will have volunteers go to the affected area and help people manage with what has happened to them. This implies that when volunteers come they there for anyone wanting to talk and explain what the disaster did to them. Also, if anyone is injured from a disaster they can get treated by volunteers and be able to stay in the shelters until they recovered either physically or mentally. The American Red Cross provides total care over the people that stay in their facilities to recover. If a person needs medication the American Red Cross will provide them with it (Disaster Relief).
Lifesaving Blood
The American Red Cross, is “the nation’s largest blood collection organization, supplying approximately 40 percent of the blood and blood products used in our country” (Lifesaving Blood). The American Red Cross has about 5.6 million blood donations each year. The nonprofit organization supplies blood to about 2,600 hospitals in our country (Lifesaving Blood). Blood drives that the American Red Cross supplies can take place all over the country through mobile set ups. These set ups can be in high schools, colleges, community organizations, businesses, places of worship or military installations (Blood Facts). Through these mobile blood drives the American Red Cross receives 80% of their blood donations. The other 20% of the blood donations, the nonprofit collects or through the American Red Cross centers that are across the nation (Blood Facts).
Military Families
The American Red Cross provides assistance to active duty and community based military. The assistance that the nonprofit organization provides consists of preparing the military and their families with coping mechanizes that they might need (Macias, Peter). One of the many services they have is that they have dogs that will boost the spirits of the military. The dogs and a volunteer from American Red Cross will go around and comfort the soldiers to put them in a better mood (Military Families).
Training
The American Red Cross also provides training “including Nurse Assistance Training, CPR/AED Training (infant, child and adult), First Aid Training, swimming instruction, Lifeguarding, Water Safety Instructor, and Babysitters’ Training” (Macias, Peter). For anyone that would like to prepare themselves and prevent critical emergencies from happening. There is training online and in person courses that are free to anyone that wants to better themselves in learning how to be more prepared in situations (Health and Safety Training & Education).
International Services
Another main service that the American Red Cross provides is International Services. They provide relief items, financial donations, disaster responders and try to reconnect the families. The American Red Cross delivers supplies to other countries going through disaster. Some of the items they might supply are “tarps, blankets, water containers, hygiene items, shelter tools and cooking kits” (International Disasters and Crises).
Financial Donations are provided from the American Red Cross through donors. The donations can provide the American Red Cross to be able to have the funds to support and aid countries going through a crisis.
When a crisis occurs in another country, the American Red Cross will have disaster responders go to the country if the countries Red Cross organization need assistance. These responders will help with anything the Red Cross organization in that country need (International Disasters and Crises).
The American Red Cross provides chapters to try and help with reconnecting families in international disasters. They give people that wish to reconnect with their families a form or telephone number to call. Once they contact the American Red Cross, the organization will use the information that person has given them to help locate the family (Your Location).