The American Red Cross has been providing assistance to victims of disasters throughout the United States since Clara Barton founded the organization in 1881. Over the years, Red Cross volunteers have responded to hundreds of thousands of disasters across the nation. All 1,325 American Red Cross chapters respond to disasters, regardless of their size. The Red Cross has fed hundreds of thousands of people, including emergency workers. Other Red Cross assistance, such as health and mental health services and referrals to other available resources, is also given to thousands of people.
Residential fires are the most frequently occurring disasters in the United States.
The Red Cross also handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, and provides blood and blood services to those in need. The Red Cross is currently developing culturally specific Prevention Skills materials to reach African Americans and Hispanics. Armed Forces Services Red Cross nurses and ambulance drivers served during the Spanish-American War and World War I. Red Cross canteens welcomed American troops during World War II, and American Red Cross recreation clubs were established close to the front lines in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. During the 1990-91 conflict in the Persian Gulf, the Red Cross provided service members and their families with financial assistance, crisis intervention, support groups, and a variety of other services. The American Red Cross has been assisting men and women in uniform for more than a century.