Organizational Culture of The American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton. “For more than 122 years, the mission of the American Red Cross (ARC) has been to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies” (FEMA / Ready.gov, 2012). The focus of their mission is to assist people who have been affected by disasters with the help of volunteers and the generosity organizations’ and individual’s monetary donations. The assistance the Red Cross provides is through shelter, education for disaster preparedness, blood and blood products, and hope. Additionally, “The American Red Cross’ unwavering commitment to members of the U.S. military, its veterans and their families continues to grow and develop more than a century after Clara Barton first recruited nurses to support the U.S. Army” (American Red Cross, 2014). The culture of the organization is very traditional. The structure of the ARC is of corporate governance. “The governing body of the American Red Cross is the Board of Governors, which has all powers of governing and directing, and of overseeing the management of the business and affairs of the organization” (American Red Cross, 2014). This non-profit organization exhibits their compassionate action by their timely responsiveness by helping fulfill the needs of victims of disaster through their teams of volunteers. The ARC is a known presence in every major city and small town throughout our country and internationally. “A humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross Movement, the ARC is woven into the fabric of our communities with 940 chapters nationwide” (FEMA / Ready.gov, 2012). A big part of their strength is the large numbers of volunteers who share the desire to be humanitarians and help those in need through donating their time and expertise. The ARC’s external communications uses soliciting for donations through media. This includes, but is not limited to email, the US Postal Service, Internet, public billboards, public service announcements, and press releases. Internal communication happens when volunteers reach out to others to encourage them to donate their time and services. One perioperative nurse who was in the Army Nurse Corps urges fellow nurses to donate by volunteering their nursing services after retirement as a way to make a difference in the lives of the victims that the ARC helps. She encourages her target audience by reminding them that volunteering for the ARC is a form of self-enrichment (Reeder, 2001). The different types of communication are used to help the ARC convey their many needs to reach potential donors. Every year, victims of disasters look to the ARC for relief. They are an organization of humanitarians who pride themselves on being educated and equipped for disaster preparedness. The volunteers and leaders of the ARC concentrate their efforts on the effects of their services on the people that they help. This directly corresponds with their mission and values statements.

References
American Red Cross. (2014). Governance. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/governance
American Red Cross. (2014). Mission, Vision, and Fundamental Principles. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/mission
American Red Cross. (2014). Supporting America 's Military Families. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do/support-military-families
FEMA / Ready.gov. (2012, June 19). 2012, June 12. Retrieved from http://www.ready.gov/american-red-cross
Reeder, J. M. (2001). Why I volunteer for the american red cross.. Association of Operating Room Nurses AORN Journal, 74(5), 607-8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200810134?accountid-458)

References: American Red Cross. (2014). Governance. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/governance American Red Cross. (2014). Mission, Vision, and Fundamental Principles. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/mission American Red Cross. (2014). Supporting America 's Military Families. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do/support-military-families FEMA / Ready.gov. (2012, June 19). 2012, June 12. Retrieved from http://www.ready.gov/american-red-cross Reeder, J. M. (2001). Why I volunteer for the american red cross.. Association of Operating Room Nurses AORN Journal, 74(5), 607-8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200810134?accountid-458)