Red American Cross
Glenn Kirkpatrick March 28, 2008
Professor Canada BUS10101J
Famous Business Company History Report BUS 101 Introduction to Business Ivy Tech Community College Region 10
Have you ever wondered where a great majority of the relief and supplies that you see over on the front lines and during the recovery efforts after natural disasters comes from? A lot of it comes from a foundation called the American Red Cross Association. It all started with a Swiss businessman by the name of Henry Dunant. He witnessed a battle in 1859 just north of an Italian town called Solferino, with the count of 40,000 dead and wounded. After witnessing that battle he decided that there needed to be a relief organization that would be able to attend to the needs of the soldiers that were in serious condition, wounded, or just injured. So he started the Red Cross Movement. The actual American Red Cross Association was started by Clara Barton. She was born on December 25, 1812, to parents Stephen Barton and Sally Stone. During the Civil War, Clara Barton a nurse during the battle, had earned herself the nickname "Angle of the Battle Field," because she was always no matter what the conditions were on the battlefield, even if it was raining bullets, be out on the front lines addressing soldiers and attending to their every need. During the year of 1881 Clara Barton successfully started the American Red Cross Association.
After the civil war was over and done with, C. Barton petitioned for an American version of the International Red Cross. She also lobbied for the United States Congress to sign the Geneva Convention. She was highly successful. The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 and the United States Congress formally approved the Geneva Convention in 1882. Clara Barton then became president of the America Red Cross while leading the association for the next 23 years. On August 22 of 1881 the first local chapter was established in Danville, New York. Just days after the first local chapter was created, the American Red Cross leaped into their first call of duty. They reacted to a relief operation due to the forest fires in Michigan. Clara Barton sent supplies for the unfortunate people that were left homeless by the fires. The American Red Cross Association continued to grow substantially over the next few years, and their progress was put to work and judged when they were called out again to the Johnstown flood of 1889. They set up shelters to temporally house the family's left stranded and homeless by the flood. To this day, feeding and sheltering is the first objective of the American Red Cross instantly following a disaster. One the 6th of June, 1990, the American Red Cross was handed a Congressional Charter that protects the American Red Cross crest and says it is to be only used by the Red Cross. The charter also instructed them to render "aid to those wounded during war, providing communication between family members and members of the U.S. military, and administering relief to those affected by disasters during peacetime." It also meant that the American Red Cross Association became the nation's first certified relief organization for citizens and military personnel. Thus the American Red Cross Mission Statement was born. "The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross
Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies" American Red Cross' Mission Statement Just 5 years later in 1905, the American Red Cross received another congressional charter by which they still operate under this to day. This charter stated that the American Red Cross Association will no longer be receiving funding from the government; it will be a nonprofit/charitable organization. To this day the Red Cross still receives funding from donations made by the public. There have been several struggles within the American Red Cross Association that have come close to toppling the foundation. Since Clara Barton was the president of the foundation she was in charge of the book keeping and didn't such a good job as what she was supposed to have done. Clara Barton unfortunately resigned on May 14, 1904 due to questions about her ability to control a large national association. During a congressional investigation, instead of being put up on the witness stand, Clara Barton resigned from the American Red Cross Association. Clara Barton's last "call of duty" was when the devastating hurricane Galveston hit Texas in 1900. The years following the last congressional charter, the American Red Cross responded to disasters such as the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. They also added more classes on water safety, first aid, and nursing to train people. When World War I came around it really helped the American Red Cross Association's chapters funding and support. This was due to all of the volunteers that came forward and were willing to help out any way that they could to help with the war movement. The ARC sent thousands and thousands of nurses overseas to help with injured soldiers. The ARC also sent care packages and got ambulances set up and ready to transport soldiers. World War II played a similar role in helping the ARC Association. More recently the American Red Cross has been helping a lot with the gulf coast victims after hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast in 2005. The Red Cross foundation estimates that they will reach out to approximately 3.7 million hurricane survivors. The American Red Cross Association also estimates that their relief efforts will exceed 2 billion dollars. More than 219,510 volunteers from all 50 states including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to the gulf coast to help with the relief efforts. The American Red Cross Association has been in existence for more than 125 years and will continue to bring relief, shelter, food, and supplies to disaster struck cities and states when ever it is needed. It is to the Red Cross that we owe our thanks in time of need. Just think about who would have provided all the relief to New Orleans, Alabama, and Mississippi, when hurricane Katrina struck. And not to mention all the wars that the U.S. has been in, who would've have provided all the support to our service men and women.
WORKS CITED (2004). American Red Cross of greater Columbus. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from American Red Cross -- Red Cross History Web site: http://columbus.redcross.org/GeneralInformation/History.htm (2006). Biography resource center. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from Biograpy Resource Center - Biography Display Web site: http://galenet.galegroup.com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/servlet/BioRC?vrsn=149&OP= contains&locID=ivytech22&srchtp=name&ca=1&c=1&AI=U13685247&NA=Clara+Bar ton&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K2191100018&bConts=59#sourceCitation (2008). American Red Cross of central Florida. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from Mission Statement Web site: http://centralflorida.redcross.org/mission-statement.php Rosenberg, J About.com: 20th century history. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from American Red Cross Web site: (2004). American Red Cross of greater Columbus. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from American Red Cross -- Red Cross History Web site: http://columbus.redcross.org/GeneralInformation/History.htm