Mission Statement:

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Although nationally charted by Congress in 1905 to provide disaster relief and Services for the Armed Forces, neither the national American Red Cross nor the chapters within the Northeastern New York Region are government agencies.

The American Red Cross provides services to people in need regardless of socioeconomic status, age, sex, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, language, country of origin, or religious beliefs.

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of 720 Chapters dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Led by 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees, the American Red Cross annually mobilizes relief for families impacted by more than 70,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people with lifesaving skills, and keeps U.S. military families connected worldwide. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products serving more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and assisting victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.