The mission of The American Red Cross, as stated by themsleves is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
The founder of The American Red Cross was a woman named Clara Barton in 1881. She was a frequent volunteer for the Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War, she helped provide civillian relief. Her many experiences with volunteer work for the organization inspired her to bring it to America.