The purpose and mission of the Red Cross is to respond to emergencies and help people prepare for and prevent them.  The American Red Cross was established by Clara Barton in 1881.  In fact, she organized relief efforts in Galveston after the 1900 Hurricane.  

The Greater Houston Area Chapter, established in 1916, is one of 25 Chapters in Texas and one of more than 700 in the U.S.  In addtion to Harris County, the Greater Houston Area Chapter provides services to a 16-area counties. Collectively our jurisdicationis home to about six million people. This huge area includes Houston, the country’s 4^th largest city, a long coastline in Galveston and Brazoria Counties, suburban areas, small towns and very rural areas.  To provide services that reflect the needs of such diverse communities, the Chapter has its main headquarters off the Southwest Freeway and 14 branch offices spread throughout the 16-county area.

The Greater Houston Area Red Cross provides four main services:  Disaster Relief and Preparedness, assistance for Military Personnel and their families, Health and Safety Courses and Transportation.  In fact, the Red Cross has a Congressional mandate to provide disaster and military assistance, though it is an unfunded mandate.  The Red Cross relies on financial donations and grants.