The American Red Cross has been providing assistance to victims of disasters throughout the United States since Clara Barton founded the organization in 1881. The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims and to the people who support its work with their donations. Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.
All assistance is based on verified disaster-caused needs.
All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by generous voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. Thousands of our disaster relief workers, over 85 percent of whom are volunteers, are trained and ready to respond to the needs of people affected by disaster. The Red Cross opens shelters for those evacuated or displaced by a disaster and provides meals and snacks to families and to emergency workers in affected areas. The assistance may include providing the means for individuals and families to pay for what they need most - from groceries, new clothes, and rent to emergency home repairs, transportation, household items, medicines, and tools. If a loved one is in the affected area, family members from outside the area can call their local chapter and request assistance in determining the well-being of their family member.