The American Red Cross

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_319_,00.html

The American Red Cross does wonderful things, as demonstrated with Hurricane Katrina. Through the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement, they assist people around the world in a multitude of ways.

International Services

The American Red Cross helps vulnerable people around the world to prevent, prepare for, and respond to disasters, complex humanitarian emergencies, and life-threatening health conditions.

The American Red Cross accomplishes this goal by working within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement—the world’s largest humanitarian network with 181 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and more than 100 million volunteers. In all our work, we abide by the seven fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The American Red Cross works to build the local capacities of our partner Red Cross and Red Crescent societies by strengthening their leadership, financial management, volunteer networks, and technical capabilities. We also work with our Movement partners to train and organize volunteers and educate communities to empower them with the skills and knowledge they need to help themselves. To ensure that programs are comprehensive, the American Red Cross establishes partnerships with other public and private organizations whose capabilities strengthen and complement our initiatives.

International Services initiatives focus on primary health care, emergency response and preparedness, restoring family links, and the dissemination of international humanitarian law. For each of these priority areas, we promote cost-effective, community-based programs, which target large numbers of people with humanitarian aid that is rapid, effective, and large-scale.