Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882. The American Red cross is an organization people should donate to because they assist communities after natural disaster, support the US Military, and have have a large transfusion operation. The Spanish-American War of 1898 was the first time the American Red Cross provided services to members of the American armed forces at war. Red Cross President Clara Barton traveled to hospitals recruiting nurses to work for the Army at medical camps in Florida and Cuba. Clara Barton and the Red Cross nurses then went to Cuba to provide nursing care, medical supplies, food and other necessities to American service members. The Red Cross also provided a non-medical service for the …show more content…
They provide emergency response vehicles, aid workers, food, water, health experts, supplies, shelters, and anything else a community could need when in crisis. They respond to over 65,000 disaster cases a year. For example in louisiana for flood relief they provided 1.3 million meals and snacks, 700,000 relief items, and nearly 80,000 overnight stays provided in 73 shelters. They also respond to tornadoes. For tornadoes they provide Shelter and food to residents, distribute clean-up supplies such as shovels, rakes, tarps, and work gloves, conduct damage assessment of homes impacted by storms, provide mental health support, including counseling for families impacted by storms and tips on self-care and how to cope with the aftermath, and connect loved ones separated after a