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Clara Barton Volunteer Leadership Honor Award
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Monday, June 04, 2007 — In recognition of its partnership in disaster relief work and leadership in preparing volunteers for service during disasters, the American Red Cross presented the NAACP with the Clara Barton Volunteer Leadership Honor Award. Hilary Shelton, director of the Washington Bureau of the NAACP, accepted the award on his organization's behalf.
"The history of Clara Barton is known throughout the nation regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or geographical location," Mr. Shelton said. "And with that, we are honored to continue working with the American Red Cross to ensure people are protected and prepared."
The award is named for American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who brought comfort to sick and wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Undaunted by the bullets that flew around her on the front lines during the Civil War, she rushed food, supplies and medicine to the troops and was recognized as the "Angel of the Battlefield."
Just as Clara Barton responded to those in need, the NAACP stepped forward after Hurricane Katrina to support Red Cross efforts to ensure its volunteers and staff reflect the diverse population and culture of the United Sates. Since 2006, more than 1,200 NAACP members across the country have been trained as Red Cross volunteers and now serve in a variety of roles, from disaster operations to shelter management.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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