The American Red Cross. Imagine being one of the many victims affected by the aftermath of hurricane Katrina,

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1 Prather 1 Brittany Prather February 24, 2011 English 289 Word Count: 2219 The American Red Cross Imagine being one of the many victims affected by the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, the wild fires of California, or even the rising floods of North Dakota and Minnesota. The helplessness can be overwhelming and life changing for those individuals and families. In the midst of the storm, the American Red Cross comes to the rescue; providing shelter, food, water, first aide, and sometimes even peace of mind. As a vital component to the nation, this organization uses many types of discourses through the web, media, social networking, education, and audio visuals to evoke emotion in the American people. Through this emotionally based communication, this organization is able to sustain success in recruiting volunteers, obtaining donations, and meeting the needs of those suffering from tragedy. In 1881, Nurse Clara Burton felt the burning need to serve the American people. Her understanding of the needs of people in distress and the ways in which she could provide help to them guided her throughout her life. By the force of her personal example, she opened paths to the new field of volunteer service. Her intense devotion to the aim of serving others resulted in enough achievements to fill several ordinary lifetimes ( Clara Barton ). The foundation laid by the work of Clara Barton still continues to grow and flourish, even in the year The long standing positive relationship of the American Red Cross and The United States could almost allow this organization to succeed primarily from word of mouth. In the last ten years the U.S. has suffered various tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, in which

2 Prather 2 victims were dependent upon this organization s relief efforts. Even without advertisement humanitarians knew who to contact in order to assist these victims or to donate money. However, with the health and survival of the people in mind, the American Red Cross still exalts all forms of discourse in order to gain support and membership from the community. With advancements of technology and the age of social networking, The American Red Cross has been able to reach out to more people than ever before. By simply joining their Facebook page, one becomes instantly aware of the many volunteer opportunities available, events, and donations needed. By utilizing sites such as these, the audience is able to quickly gain the information he/she is seeking and become involved as he/she desires. Not only is there a page for the national chapter of The American Red Cross, but each city also seems to have its own page as well. After reviewing the personal page for the Cincinnati chapter, I found their mission to be, the American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies (ARC, Facebook.com). At this time there are 753 followers for this individual page. Information that can be found on this page includes: discussions, upcoming events, a link to donate, and even photos of volunteers in action. Holding true to the organization s need to evoke emotion, the donation section states, A hot meal delivered to victims after a disaster, blood when it is needed most, shelter when there is nowhere else to turn, an emergency message delivered to a member of the Armed Forces from their family (ARC, Facebook.com). I also noticed that the Cincinnati chapter posts the names of each person that has recently donated money as a token of the organization s appreciation. In addition to money, there is also a link on how to donate to the organization in other ways. This option is critical to those that might not have money to give but would still like to help. Each chapter is very similar in their values and

3 Prather 3 mission but has individually created their own. Facebook has shown to be an effective form of discourse as evidenced by thousands of followers on the national page and hundreds of followers on the local page. By simply making efforts to appeal to the technically savvy, The American Red Cross has sustained interest and involvement. Similar to social networking sites, The American Red Cross also runs a successful website, This site is resourceful to an inquirer and may be a better fit to someone that is not engaged in the world of social networking. It is at this website that one can find many of the same things that are also available on Facebook, including: events, mission, vision, donations, etc. However, unlike Facebook, I was able to find and print instructional materials that promoted safety. In addition to disaster relief, this organization also focuses on disaster preparedness. Among these education materials include CPR training for professionals. After printing the manual, I found the material to be very useful and organized. The manual states, As a professional rescuer, you are a key part of the emergency medical services (EMS) System. Whether you are paid or a volunteer, in your position you will be summoned to provide care in an emergency ( CPR/AED ). This organization works hard to prepare citizens and professionals for disaster or emergencies before it strikes. Those needing to become certified in CPR often seek this organization, knowing their training has been trusted for many years. In addition to CPR, there are also materials to help prepare for disaster at home and in the workplace found on their main website. An example of rules that the American Red Cross has created as a simple form of discourse are, get a kit, make a plan, be informed ( These are simple words that even a child can understand. Not only does this form of discourse allow the audience to comprehend the information, but it also allows he/she to feel prepared in time of adversity.

4 Prather 4 As mentioned before, The American Red Cross can always be counted on to respond to disaster, whether the needs are national or simply of the neighbor next door. Due to their efforts, this organization often can be found in the news media. In an article presented in the Wilson Daily Times of North Carolina, a chapter member states, We re there for little disasters and big disasters and we provide the emergency needs for people in a disaster, whether it s a hurricane or a single-family fire (Moore). In my personal interview with Jackie Robinson, the Public Relations Director of the Cincinnati chapter, she informed me that, We utilize the media in variety of ways, through press releases, newspapers, television, and radio. When we go out on disasters and assist clients, usually at the end of the story, the reporter will say, They were assisted by the Red Cross (Robinson). Not only will reporters mention the efforts of the American Red Cross during the news, but it is also common for newspapers to run headlines and for television and radio stations to air advertisements to initiate participation or donations. It is this type of discourse that may appeal to most people s conscience, due to the pain staking story lines and sincere calls for help. In fact, I would be willing to bet that many American citizens decided to become involved in assisting the victims of the Haiti earthquake after watching video clips and news reports of the aftermath. This is a type of discourse that can easily pull at anyone s heart strings. For some audiences, the form of discourse that is most captivating may be the use of audio visual sources. During times of well known disaster it is possible that one may see multiple commercials from the Red Cross on his/her television. These commercials are not only informative but also evoke emotion and a call of duty to assist the helpless victims. It is also not uncommon to see a famous spokesperson lead the commercial as a form of marketing expertise. In addition to providing these videos to television broadcasting, one can also find video clips on

5 Prather 5 YouTube or this organization s Facebook page. One video in particular entitled, From Heartbreak to Hope 2011, describes how this organization is there for the community in times of need and is depending on volunteers to continue their legacy. In the words of this public service announcement, When every moment matters and a hand reaches out, when a life is saved, when heartbreak turns to hope, you re there (ARC, YouTube.com). The photos of volunteers assisting victims that are struggling within this clip once again evoke emotion, which is this organization s strongest form of discourse. I found this PSA to be marketed well and an excellent tool to draw in the humanitarians at heart. Although the American Red Cross is very traditional in their values, it has found forms of discourse in untraditional ways to solicit and maintain interest. In my conversation with Jackie Robinson, I also found that this organization utilizes the roads and highways of our city as a major form of discourse (Robinson). Driving down interstate 71 south, one may notice the Red Cross headquarters on the right, located on Dana Ave. More importantly, it is the organization s hope that drivers will notice the digital billboard streaming across the top of their building. The billboard is very attractive and very informative. With a quick glance, one can become aware of an upcoming event, such as a blood drive, or open classes of CPR or babysitting. Regardless of the need, the information is simple and eye catching. According to Jackie, it was the hopes of the organization to catch the attention of people who may not have sought the information otherwise (Robinson). In addition to this billboard, it is also common to find non-digital, print billboards along many other roads and expressways. One billboard in particular reveals the title, Be the Hands that give. Visually, one can view a picture of a cross, composed of several volunteers; basically revealing that the organization depends on people like you in order to continue providing their services. The message is powerful, and in the eyes of Jackie Robinson,

6 Prather 6 Successful (Robinson). It is important to appeal to as many audiences as possible, given the necessity of this organization to our nation. With the addition of these forms of discourse, the American Red Cross has definitely met their goal of appealing to the masses. It is obvious that this organization takes the duty of recruiting very seriously, but I have also found that they also take pride in communication within the organization. As with any organization that has goals, it is important to disseminate information to employees or volunteers the success or failures of meeting those same ambitions. I found this information to be discussed in a quarterly newsletter developed by the American Red Cross. I am assuming that each chapter most likely has its own, but in this case I was able to review that of the Berwick chapter from July In this newsletter I found discussion of recent events fairs, blood drives, and classes. For example, In the fourth quarter the Berwick Blood Drives had 384 registered people attend, collected 347 productive units of blood, and had 28 new blood donors (ARC, newsletter). In addition to a blood drive, this chapter was also involved in a United Way fundraiser, On April 17, 2010, the Greater Berwick Chapter of the American Red Cross participated in the annual Day of Caring hosted by the United Way (ARC, newsletter). This chapter appears to play a very active role in its community resulting in many positive outcomes for the members and residents of Berwick. I found this newsletter to be an important form of discourse to keep volunteers engaged and aware of their success in helping the community. I easily found this newsletter on the web, therefore it is available for the public to access as well, but more importantly it is a source of communication that connects chapter members. After reviewing the sources of discourse, it is very evident that this organization relies heavily upon the use of the internet and other technological sources. Upon my visit to the Cincinnati Headquarters, I was expecting to find several brochures and handouts to review as

7 Prather 7 primary sources of research. What I found was nothing, much to my surprise. The courteous secretary assured me that I could find all materials on their website, and to call if I had any additional questions. I mentioned this to Jackie Robinson during our interview, she stated that having brochures at the local chapters didn t seem to meet the needs of the citizens inquiring about the information, and that the web seemed to provide information more efficiently. However, it is possible that one may find various brochures located in strategic areas at times (Robinson). Since 1881, the American Red Cross has gone above and beyond to meet the needs of the American people in times of disaster and tragedy. Through integral forms of discourse, this organization has been able to recruit and sustain interest through the assistance of advanced technology, brochures, and media. Their long standing legacy has perpetuated the need for changes in communication and capitalized on the resources available to them. With the needs of the people at heart, this organization s vital decisions on how to communicate should not only be revered but more importantly trusted to provide hope in a time of heartbreak.

8 Prather 8 Works Cited American Red Cross. American Red Cross, Web. 13 February American Red Cross. From Heartbreak to Hope 2011 PSA (15 ) YouTube, Web. 10, Feb American Red Cross. Newsletter July 2008: 1-4. Web. 10 Feb Clara Barton: Founder of the Red Cross. The American Red Cross, Web. 25 Feb "CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer." The American Red Cross. Web. 20 Feb < Moore, Rochelle. "Disaster response helps define American Red Cross." Wilson Daily Times (NC) 11 Sept. 2010: Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 13 Feb Robinson, Jackie. Telephone Interview by Brittany Prather. 10 Feb The American Red Cross. The American Red Cross. Web. 22 Feb 2011.

9 Prather 9 Pictures/Links: Billboard mentioned in essay Cincinnati Headquarters YouTube video link: ( From Heartbreak to Hope)