About the American Red Cross
A national movement...
The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors. Since our founding by Clara Barton in 1881, the Red Cross has been the nation’s premier emergency response organization. Our core mission is to provide relief to victims of disaster and to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Over the years, we have expanded our services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering. In addition to aiding victims of disasters — whether fires or floods, hurricanes or tornadoes, winter storms or wildfires — the Red Cross also:
- Educates children and adults about personal safety and disaster prevention.
- Teaches lifesaving skills, such as CPR.
- Collects and distributes blood.
- Provides comfort and a critical communications link to military members and their families.
The Red Cross is a charitable humanitarian organization, not a government agency. We depend on volunteers and public generosity to fulfill our mission.
Visit the American Red Cross national homepage by clicking here.
The American Red Cross is also part of the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. Learn about this international cause and its widespread relief operations by clicking here.
...With a local focus
The Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter is one of more than 700 locally supported chapters across the nation — and one of only two in the U.S. to be named a “Highly Performing Chapter” four years in a row.
Conceived at what is now the Pettengill-Morron House on Peoria’s West Bluff, and chartered on Dec. 8, 1916, the Central Illinois Chapter has a long, proud history of assisting and educating local adults and children.
The Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter serves nearly 700,000 people in 10 counties: Champaign, Douglas, Marshall, Mason, Peoria, Piatt, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion and Woodford.
The Central Illinois Chapter has two office locations, providing our service area with disaster relief, health and safety education, business continuity planning and more.