Clara's Cross

- Suraj Singh

In 1881 Clara Barton formed the American Red Cross (ARC), an organization dedicated to providing relief to those in need. (1) This was among many of her humanitarian efforts. She was a nurse during the Civil War helping the wounded and procuring supplies. She established the Missing Soldiers Office ultimately finding thousands of men that had fallen out of contact. She started her own school. During the Franco-Prussian War, she fed soup to those experiencing illness and/or homelessness and organized the seamstresses of Strasbourg to make clothes for locals in need. Surplus clothes were traded for food from neighboring farming towns. She developed the first emergency kit for mass production. Barton empowered the desperate. Recent criticism of the modern ARC, however, calls into question whether the organization has remained true to its founder’s vision.

According to the American Red Cross, “The relationship between the American Red Cross and the federal government is unique. We are an independent entity that is organized and exists as a nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable institution pursuant to a charter granted to us by the United States Congress. Unlike other congressionally chartered organizations, the Red Cross maintains a special relationship with the federal government.” (2) This unique legal standing has not shielded the ARC from controversy – the criticisms are numerous. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, for example, the ARC received approximately 60% of the $3.6 billion donated by Americans in response to the disaster and was later investigated for fraud and theft. (3) Financial mismanagement forced several ARC executives to resign. (4) In 2010, The ARC spent almost $125 million on internal expenses – a quarter of the money received by donations in response to the earthquake in Haiti. (5) Richard Rieckenberg, a former Red Cross disaster expert, says the charity cares about the “Appearance of aid, not actually delivering it…They were not interested in solving the problem — they were interested in looking good. That was incredibly demoralizing.” (4) Clearly the behind-the-scenes workings of the ARC are complex and controversial.

The ARC has responded to tarnishing events and statements with increased transparency, clearer communication, and effective adaptation to new policies. The ARC now maintains a webpage titled “Where Your Money Goes,” that states “The Red Cross is proud that an average of 90 cents of every dollar we spend is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need. The remaining 10 cents helps keep the entire Red Cross running by supporting routine, but indispensable, day-to-day business operations. These operations include the enterprise-wide computer, telecommunications, volunteer management, HR, and payroll systems for nearly 18,000 employees and approximately 275,000 volunteers, as well as fundraising, communications, and other support services.” (6) It follows that at some point in the organization’s history the proportion of the funds spent on delivering care and comforting those in need was not 90 cents of every dollar. Further, the ARC has been previously criticized for not allowing men who have sex with men to donate blood. As the Food & Drug Administration policies regarding MSM blood donations have changed from a lifetime ban for donating blood in an effort to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS, to a one-year since last intercourse ban, to a three month since last intercourse ban during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the current policy of no time-based deferral, the ARC has adapted to and adopted changing policies in an effort to be more inclusive. (7-8)

Today the ARC occupies a volatile space – the intersection of calmness and disaster. The organization addresses the needs of the people in a forever-changing world. Since President Chester signed the Geneva Treaty and the ARC received its first congressional charter in 1900, the ARC has adapted to new challenges by expanding the range of aid and services. Today the ARC supplies approximately 40% of the nation’s blood. (9) The organization teaches and certifies professionals in life-saving skills such as CPR, AED, Lifeguarding, and Child Care. The ARC provides shelter, food, and health services for disasters including and not limited to natural, hazardous, and transport variants. The ARC has also maintained its alignment with the US military, offering support for civilians and service members nationally and internationally in response to disaster, pandemic, and war. An amazing show of goodwill and community is the fact that “90% of the Red Cross workforce are volunteers.” (10) It is evident that despite the ARC’s tumultuous history involving mismanagement and irresponsible spending, support for the organization is strong.

Like any other business or organization, growing pains are inevitable. To strive for and achieve new heights, an endeavor must assume some risk. Accountability, balance, communication, and division of labor are just a few of the instruments necessary for growth. It would be unreasonable to assume that all these mechanisms function optimally for an organization of even the highest moral caliber. The same can be said for the ARC. An organization’s past does not necessarily determine its future. In the case of the ARC, hopefully stumbles in the past guide decisions of the future.

Would Clara be proud of the ARC today? The answer is uncertain. In terms of the distance the organization has travelled, and the scope and shape of the aid and services now offered – likely the answer is yes. The ARC’s current mission statement is to prevent and alleviate “human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” (11) The means of accomplishing this mission has been and inevitably will be questioned; however, Clara Barton’s goal of aiding those in need continues to be achieved.

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References:

1. Over 140 Years of Compassionate Service. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/history.html. Accessed September 15, 2023

2. Our Federal Charter. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/federal-charter.html. Accessed September 15, 2023

3. Strom S. Red Cross Faces Internal Charges of Misappropriation of Hurricane Funds, Goods. Philanthropy News Digest Web site. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/red-cross-faces-internal-charges-of-misappropriation-of-hurricane-funds-goods. Updated 2006. Accessed September 15, 2023

4. Elliott J, Eisinger J, Sullivan L. The Red Cross’ Secret Disaster. ProPublica Web site. https://www.propublica.org/article/the-red-cross-secret-disaster. Updated 2014. Accessed September 15, 2023

5. Sullivan Laura, Elliott J. Report: Red Cross Spent 25 Percent Of Haiti Donations On Internal Expenses. NPR Web site. https://www.npr.org/2016/06/16/482020436/senators-report-finds-fundamental-concerns-about-red-cross-finances. Updated 2016. Accessed September 15, 2023

6. How the Red Cross Spends Your Donations. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/donations/how-the-red-cross-spends-your-donations.html. Accessed September 15, 2023

7. Shmerling MD R. The FDA relaxes restrictions on blood donation. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-fda-relaxes-restrictions-on-blood-donation-202305192936. Updated 2023. Accessed September 15, 2023

8. LGBTQ+ Donors. Red Cross Blood Web site. https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/lgbtq-donors.html. Accessed September 15, 2023

9. Pandemic a Crisis for Two Years; How the Red Cross is Helping. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2022/pandemic-a-crisis-for-two-years-how-the-red-cross-is-helping.html. Updated 2022. Accessed September 15, 2023

10. Become a Volunteer. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html#step1. Accessed September 15, 2023

11. Mission & Values. Red Cross Web site. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/mission-and-values.html. Accessed September 15, 2023