Community Resources- American Red Cross

Community Resources- American Red Cross

 Public health and safety improvement within communities depends on collaborations between the individual community members, their healthcare providers, and the authorities. Independent organizations also play a major role in the promotion of public health. Whereas some organizations participate in public health promotional activities as part of their cooperative social responsibility, other organizations are instituted with the sole aim of promoting public health. The overall result is often evident in concerted efforts to attain better public health. Such organizations as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and United Nations Children Fund have retained their role in public health promotion. This paper seeks to explore the American Red Cross organization with keen consideration of its public health promotional agenda.

The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization that aims to provide relief to disaster victims and offer help to people in the prevention, preparation, and response to potential health emergencies. This organization is guided by its congressional charter and draws volunteers from across all cadres of healthcare provision and beyond. The mission of this organization is to mobilize volunteers and donors toward the alleviation and prevention of human suffering during health emergencies. Its vision is to draw stronger networks of partners, donors, and volunteers in times of need with the aim of preparing communities for disasters, improving safety, and alleviating the suffering of disaster victims.

The organization’s mission and vision tailor its activities towards public health attainment and safety improvement. The safety and health of communities depend on their level of preparation for a potential health disaster and the preventive measures that they institute to combat these potential health hazards. The American Red Cross aims to reinforce these elements by working to ensure that these communities are adequately prepared for these potential health disasters and are actively involved in instituting the very measures required to avert the disasters (Rivera & Willard, 2019). In this regard, this organization draws volunteers whose sole responsibilities will be to ensure that people from these communities are educated on safety improvement strategies and ready and prepared for any looming disaster. In addition to having access to lifesaving health products such as medicines and blood products, they have access to clean water and find support whenever it is needed. All of these actions are necessary for safety enhancement and public health promotion as envisioned by the American Red Cross.

The American Red Cross has been involved in several humanitarian activities across the United States and beyond. Their public health promotion and safety improvement involvements have been evident within the communities affected by various health disasters. With the congressional charter granted to this organization, the American Red Cross is obliged to offer humanitarian support across the country and beyond, irrespective of the affected communities’ cultural affiliation and socio-economic status. This organization also boasts a vast capacity for disaster handling and management. With an annual average disaster response of over 60,000, the impact of this organization has been significant. Additionally, this organization has been involved in the training of first-line disaster responders in a bid to reinforce its capabilities toward disaster relief.

The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization with heavy reliance on voluntary services. It has been able to draw a strong network of volunteers across many professional fields. This organization is wholly dependent on donations from the federal and state governments and donations from companies, institutions of higher learning, and other organizations (Aaron & Siegel, 2017). Various websites, such as the Green Drop, have also been involved in fund drives that aim to raise money to be utilized in this organization’s operationalization. Notable donors in the recent past include American Airlines, Amazon, Caterpillar Foundation, Delta Airlines, and FedEx, among others. The significance of the contributions is evident in the various humanitarian activities that the American Red Cross has been involved in.

Having received the congressional charter that formalized its disaster relief efforts, the American Red Cross maintains autonomy in its activities (American Red Cross Guide to Services, 2021). In this regard, this organization plans for and executes its activities with minimal legal and policy barriers. This, however, imposes greater responsibility on this organization as it is thus required to perform its duties diligently. However, beyond the US, the American Red Cross is often subjected to the legal frameworks of the host country, with legal permits often required in the execution of their activities. 

American Red Cross organization has provided disaster relief to many communities. Some of these humanitarian activities are extensive, often involving many people. Consequently, more funding is required in the rollout of these programs. The American Red Cross often collaborates with the government in such activities. In some instances, they have been contracted by the federal government to provide disaster relief. The net effect often trickles down to the individual community members and their families, who get to benefit from these concerted efforts to alleviate their suffering. As evident in shelter provision, clean water, and food provision for these individuals, these organizational efforts have been able to improve their well-being.

The impact of the American Red Cross organization on communities has been evident in their disaster relief efforts. Their efforts towards community mobilizations towards preparedness for looming disasters have been attributable to saving many lives. They have also been able to mobilize professional volunteers with various expertise in human handling with the sole aim of alleviating the suffering of victims involved in these health disasters. This, too, enables quick and adequate responses in offering support, provision of medical assistance, and provision of shelter, food, and clean drinking water. For instance, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the American Red Cross managed to mobilize a network of at least 2000 volunteers on standby, who, during the actual disaster, helped establish shelters and provision food.

Nurses, being healthcare providers, are among the first responders in the wake of these disasters. They have to provide quick medical care to disaster victims who may require medical assistance. They should, therefore, make themselves available to enlist in case any disaster is imminent. Additionally, various Red Cross specialties require nurse involvement. Activities such as blood donation drives, as well as other blood services carried out by the Red Cross, require nurse presence and participation. This is because nurses’ knowledge and expertise are better suited to handling these services. They should, therefore, be involved in these activities.

American Red Cross remains a household name in disaster relief and management. Its mission and vision are tailored towards enhancing the preparation and prevention of health disasters among communities. This organization is a non-profit, donor-dependent organization that carries out disaster relief programs across the US and beyond. Having obtained a congressional charter, this organization maintains autonomy over its mandate. This organization draws interprofessional volunteers to execute its activities. Nurses are first-line responders in healthcare provision, and their involvement with this organization maintains considerable significance.

References

Aaron, D., & Siegel, M. (2017). Sponsorship of National Health Organizations by Two Major Soda Companies. American Journal Of Preventive Medicine, 52(1), 20-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.08.010

American Red Cross Guide to Services (2021). Retrieved 21 October 2021, from https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/GuideToServices.pdf

Rivera, J., & Willard, A. (2019). Humanitarian logistics in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria: the experience of the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico. International Journal Of Emergency Management, 15(2), 166. DOI: 10.1504/

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Community Resources- American Red Cross

American Red Cross.
Habitat for Humanity.
United Way.
Doctors Without Borders.
The Salvation Army.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
National Center for Transgender Equality.
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging.
Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders.
Equal Justice Initiative.
National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Urban Triage.
World Health Organization.
The Arc: For People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Alliance for Retired Americans.
Futures Without Violence.
Blue Campaign: What Is Human Trafficking?
Covenant House.
Cultural Survival.
Note: Remember that you can submit all or a portion of your draft research paper to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback before you submit the final version of this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the 24–48-hour turnaround time for receiving feedback.

Instructions
Research a selected local, national, or global nonprofit organization or government agency from the list provided. Determine how the organization or agency contributes to public health and safety improvements, promotes equal opportunity, and improves the quality of life within the community. Submit your findings in a 3-5 page report.

As you begin to prepare this assessment, it would be an excellent choice to complete the Nonprofit Organizations and Community Health activity. Complete this activity to gain insight into promoting equal opportunity and improving the quality of life in a community. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment. After completing this activity, choose an organization or agency from the list that you are most interested in researching.

Document Format and Length
Format your paper using APA style.

Refer to the APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
A title page and references page. An abstract is not required.
Appropriate section headings.
Your paper should comprise 3-5 pages of content plus title and references pages.
Supporting Evidence
Cite at least three credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications published within the past 5 years that support your research findings.

Graded Requirements
The research requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the assessment scoring guide, so be sure to address each point.

Explain how the organization’s mission and vision enable it to contribute to public health and safety improvements.
Include examples of ways a local and/or global initiative supports organizational mission and vision and promotes public health and safety.
Evaluate an organization’s ability to promote equal opportunity and improve the quality of life in the community.
Consider the effects of social, cultural, economic, and physical barriers.
Assess the impact of funding sources, policy, and legislation on the organization’s provision of services.
Consider the potential implications of funding decisions, policy, and legislation for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.
Explain how an organization’s work impacts the health and/or safety needs of a local community.
Consider how nurses might become involved with the organization.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contain few errors in grammar/punctuation, word choice, and spelling.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references, exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format.
Write with a specific purpose and audience in mind.
Adhere to scholarly and disciplinary writing standards and APA formatting requirements.