Get to Know your Red Cross

The Red Cross is probably an organization that you’ve heard of before, but do you know how it started?

While the Civil War was raging in the United States, Clara Barton, a former school teacher and government worker from Massachusetts, went to the battlefield to help care for the wounded.

After the Civil War, Barton went to Europe and learned of the Red Cross Movement and worked in relief efforts for civilians during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. Returning home, she worked to persuade the US government to sign the Geneva Convention.

In 1881, with a group of friends, Barton founded the American Association of the Red Cross. Her unique contribution to the worldwide Red Cross movement was organizing volunteers to help disaster victims. Her ideas became reality when Red Cross volunteers in New York shipped food and clothing to victims of the Michigan forest fires of 1881.

(Clara Barton)

For more history of the American Red Cross visit their website.

Continuing the example set by Clara Barton, The Greater Manchester Chapter of the American Red Cross services Manchester and the 16 surrounding communities, and has been doing so since its charter on July 28, 1916.

This example includes following the fundamental principles, which have always remained at the forefront, and providing disaster relief to the community.

The chapter moved into the Frank P. Carpenter House in 1941, after it was given to the Red Cross by the family. Frank P. Carpenter is remembered for his philanthropy, which funded the construction of many building in Manchester including the YMCA, the Carpenter Memorial Library and the Manchester Historic Association Building.

The chapter resided there until 2008, when we moved into the renovated carriage house behind the Frank P. Carpenter House. During that time the chapter was awarded two Historic Preservation Awards, in 1994 and 2002, for their treatment of the property.

The classes that are offered through this chapter include Adult CPR/AED, Babysitter’s Training and many others. These classes provide the community with the opportunity to learn how to prevent and be prepared for a disaster.

If you would like to get to know the Greater Manchester Chapter of the American Red Cross first-hand come get involved.