A Word of Thanks
Description
In this poster, the American Red Cross offers its sincere gratitude to the public for their volunteer and financial contributions.
The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on May 21st, 1881 in Washington, D.C. It is a volunteer-led organization funded by public contribution and cost-reimbursement.
Prior to World War I, the Red Cross had already implemented programs such as public health nursing, water safety, and first aid. When war broke out, however, the organization grew tremendously. In wartime, local chapters increased from 107 to 3,864, and membership skyrocketed, from 17,000 to more than 30 million adults and Junior Red Cross members. Public contributions were around $400 million.
By World War II, more than 104,000 military nurses were enrolled, and 13.3 million pints of blood were collected through a national blood program. This led to the introduction of the first nationwide civilian blood drive, which now supplies almost 50 percent of blood in this country. During the peak of wartime in 1945, over 7.5 million volunteers provided their services, and at the end of World War II, the public had contributed over $784 million in support.
The consequences of these efforts were widespread, affecting nearly every American family. Almost every household contained a volunteer, someone who had made a financial contribution, or a recipient of aid.
The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on May 21st, 1881 in Washington, D.C. It is a volunteer-led organization funded by public contribution and cost-reimbursement.
Prior to World War I, the Red Cross had already implemented programs such as public health nursing, water safety, and first aid. When war broke out, however, the organization grew tremendously. In wartime, local chapters increased from 107 to 3,864, and membership skyrocketed, from 17,000 to more than 30 million adults and Junior Red Cross members. Public contributions were around $400 million.
By World War II, more than 104,000 military nurses were enrolled, and 13.3 million pints of blood were collected through a national blood program. This led to the introduction of the first nationwide civilian blood drive, which now supplies almost 50 percent of blood in this country. During the peak of wartime in 1945, over 7.5 million volunteers provided their services, and at the end of World War II, the public had contributed over $784 million in support.
The consequences of these efforts were widespread, affecting nearly every American family. Almost every household contained a volunteer, someone who had made a financial contribution, or a recipient of aid.
Creator
American Red Cross
Date
1941-1945
Source
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/A_word_of_thanks-American_Red_Cross_-_NARA_-_513745.jpg/469px-A_word_of_thanks-American_Red_Cross_-_NARA_-_513745.jpg
Rights
Source: Our History. (n.d.). American Red Cross. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from http://www.redcross.org/museum/.
Publisher
American Red Cross
Contributor
American Red Cross
Format
Medium: Poster.
Language
English
Type
Poster
Identifier
American Red Cross, Posters, Volunteerism, Nursing, Blood, Blood Drive
Coverage
Historic
Files
Reference
American Red Cross, A Word of Thanks, American Red Cross, 1941-1945
Cite As
American Red Cross, “A Word of Thanks,” Virtual Museum of Public Service, accessed April 28, 2025, https://vmps.omeka.net/items/show/313.