Clara Barton And The Red Cross

The Red Cross

The Red Cross, a non-profit organization, has helped change the world for the better but many wonder how. This Organization has helped thousand of people, they provide emergency assistance for many different types of disasters. The disaster that everyone hears about is hurricanes, these tropical storms can be deadly. The Red Cross in the past helped with the hurricane disasters, however the organization has helped with other disasters such as; earthquakes, wildfires, and flooding, when disaster strikes The Red Cross helps physically by rebuilding communities but also gives mental support to the victims.

The Red Cross has many programs that definitely helps people physically but also mentally. They help physically mainly during

Clara Barton was the founder of the Red Cross. Throughout her life she had been a kind person who wanted to help everyone who needed help. In the 1860’s the American Civil War broke out between the Confederate North and South Union, she was working at the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, DC when the war began (American Red Cross). Like most people they wanted to help their troops so like the many people who wanted to help Clara Barton collect bandages but soon realized she can best help on the battlefield. Soon enough she was nursing, cooking and comforting the wounded. Being right there helping the wounded for the Union gave her the nickname “Angel of the Battlefield”. She really enjoyed that experience so after the war ended she when to Europe. The idea of The Red Cross was formed because a Swiss man named Henry Dunant noticed that when a bloody battle broke out in Solferino, Italy the soldiers had a lack of much needed medical attention. Dunant asked follow people to go on the battlefield and help the wounded. He wrote “Would there not be some means, during a period of peace and calm, of forming relief societies whose object would be to have the wounded cared for in time of war by enthusiastic, devoted volunteers, fully qualified for the task?” (ICRC). He wanted people to be safe in times of fear. He was not the only one who wanted to help, those people went to help the wounded soldiers. This was happening when Clara Barton was in Europe, Barton and Dunant both went out on a battlefield, this made her believe she’s not the only one who wants to help even if danger was close. She believed America needed The Red Cross, when she returned back she founded The American Red Cross in 1881. She served at president of the newly founded organization for 23 years. As time went on The Red Cross slowly grew to be one of the biggest non-profit organization. The American Red Cross is one of