How the American Red Cross Gained the Public’s Trust

Almost everyone knows that the American Red Cross is there for those suffering from disasters. This ranges from being a lifeline after natural disasters to giving blood to hospitals. However, as a nonprofit, a large amount of its funding comes from donations, and to get those donations, it needs to prove its trustworthiness. Like many nonprofits, this has been a massive struggle for them with many ups and downs. Today, I’ll review some of the challenges the organization has overcome to rebuild trust and push toward succeeding in its goals.

Why We Need American Red Cross

From house fires to wildfires, the American Red Cross is there to help, responding to more than 60,000 disasters every year. The organization helps relocate displaced individuals, provides shelter and food to those in need, and supplies 40% of the nation’s blood supply. Its ability to respond at quick notice makes the Red Cross essential to those suffering from a crisis. 

Rebuilding Trust

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the American Red Cross’s funding; in the past, they were heavily criticized for how they handled resources in disasters. For example, after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the funds and resources supplied were questioned as to why it wasn’t as transparent as it should have been and where exactly everything was going. Red Cross responded to these claims by creating transparency with their finances by sharing financial reports and donation allocation information. This could now be viewed on their website, ensuring donors that their money is being used responsibly. This act ensured the public that the Red Cross has been using funds responsibly, building trust with the public.

A Scalable Response Model

One of the main reasons the Red Cross is such a trusted and relied upon crisis response nonprofit is its large standing network of 300,000 volunteers. This large mass of volunteers allows quick response during emergency efforts. The community-focused model only works due to the trust the volunteers have for the organization, which has been nurtured through clear-cut transparency of how they are making an impact. This also helps maximize impact without having crazy costs.

A Volunteer’s Story

The Red Cross does a fantastic job of showcasing and encouraging volunteers to share their experiences with the company. One great example is during the COVID-19 pandemic when volunteer Michelle Wu helped isolated seniors by creating a virtual wellness check-in for them. Stories like this help to highlight the different ways the Red Cross impacts people, not just helping with physical needs but emotional support, too.

NonProfits are Built on Trust

Without trust, nonprofits won’t attract the volunteers and donations needed to succeed. By creating a system of clear transparency and effective responses, the American Red Cross demonstrates to the public why it’s one of the most trusted nonprofits out there.