Mission, Principles, and History

Our Mission and Principles | Our History

Our Mission

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 disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

The American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter helps children and families prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Our chapter is comprised of 20 paid staff and 500 volunteer staff who serve a 5-county area, including Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee Counties.

The Seven Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement

Humanity: Born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, we endeavor to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. We promote mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

Impartiality: The Red Cross makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It seeks to relieve the suffering of individuals, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality: In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Red Cross may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious, or ideological nature.

Independence: The International Red Cross movement is independent. The national societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able to act in accordance with the principles of the Red Cross Movement.

Voluntary Service: The Red Cross is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

Unity: There can be only one Red Cross, Red Crescent or Red Crystal Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry out its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

Universality: The International Red Cross is a worldwide movement in which all societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other.

Our Mission and Principles | Our History

HISTORY

The American National Red Cross was founded in 1881 and chartered by an act of Congress in 1900. Guided by the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, the American Red Cross represents the United States of America in the International Red Cross Movement.

The International Red Cross Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class, or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

The concept of a "Red Cross" was born in 1859, when Henry Dunant, a young Swiss man, came upon the scene of 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 to feed and comfort them. On his return, he called for the creation of national relief societies to assist those wounded in war.

In October 1863, The International Red Cross Movement was created in Geneva, Switzerland, through the Geneva Convention, to provide nonpartisan care to the wounded and sick in times of war. Today, the Red Cross Movement is structured, in some ways, like the United Nations. It is comprised of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the International Federation). The International Red Cross includes representative Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Crystal and Magen David Adom Societies from 175 countries, including the American Red Cross.

Clara Barton (1821-1912) dominates the early history of the American Red Cross, which was modeled after the International Red Cross. She was the first person to establish a lasting Red Cross Society in America. She successfully organized the American Association of the Red Cross in Washington, D.C., in 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.