Mission:

The American Red Cross is not a government agency, its authority to provide disaster relief was formalized in 1905 when the Red Cross was chartered by Congress to "carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to the people who generously support its work with their donations. The Red Cross is named in the current National Response Plan and the national Aviation Act to provide these services as well as being a partner in Homeland Security.