Our History

Vital Community Partner
Greater Rochester Chapter Celebrates 125 Years of Service

On October 3, 1881, Clara Barton with the help of Susan B. Anthony founded the second Red Cross Chapter in the United States in Rochester, NY.  Nearby Dansville, NY was the site of the first Red Cross Chapter which opened six weeks earlier.

Ceaseless humanitarian efforts of Clara Barton led to the foundation of the American Association of the Red Cross at her Washington, D.C. home in May of 1881. That same year, the Greater Rochester Chapter was formed primarily to provide aid to the victims of the Michigan Forest Fires. This relief operation was the first in national Red Cross history, and the Greater Rochester Chapter was a key participant.

The Greater Rochester Chapter kept itself prepared for future emergencies, and in 1917 when the United States entered World War I, the Red Cross was ready. The Chapter organized Base Hospital No. 19 and more than 89,000 volunteers in Rochester helped with the packing and shipping of war relief supplies. At the same time, the Greater Rochester branch of the American Junior Red Cross was founded. These young Red Crossers were active in knitting sweaters, making surgical dressings and bandages, and other tasks that helped our country through the war.

In 1918, the Greater Rochester Chapter of the Red Cross leapt into action during the Influenza Epidemic and provided food, transportation, nursing care, and housekeeping services for the sick in Rochester. The following year, the chapter established Home Nursing Classes in Monroe County Schools.

In the years to come, the Greater Rochester Chapter continued to expand its ability to provide assistance to those in need beyond disaster relief. Programs were set up to benefit a wide array of people. Programs include mental health counseling, health and safety instruction, nutrition services, and many more. Today the Greater Rochester Red Cross certifies more than 62,000 people each year in life-saving programs such as CPR, Water Safety, and First Aid.

The Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross is a volunteer-driven organization and proud to have more than 2,000 active volunteers. Their dedication keeps the Red Cross working for the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on the American Red Cross click here.

Download a Red Cross Biography (MS Word Document):
Clara Barton
Dr. Charles Drew
Henry Dunant