Mission Statement of Nonprofit Organization - Assignment Example

? Mission ment of Nonprofit Organization Introduction The American Red Cross operates as a non-profit organization which was established in the year 1881 by Clara Barton. Since its inception, it has been functioning as the country’s leading crisis response organization. The American Red Cross has been found to not only indulge in activities related to providing unbiased compassionate care as well as concern towards the sufferers of war but it also sets itself apart by helping sufferers of upsetting and destructive natural catastrophes. All through these years, the organization made continuous attempts towards spreading out its offered services always with the intention to put a stop to along with alleviating suffering (American Red Cross, 2012). The paper will intend to assess the mission statement of the organization in order to ascertain its effectiveness. Consecutively to ascertain the effectiveness of the mission statement of the non-profit organization, it becomes necessary to gain a lucid comprehension regarding its activities. Presently, the organization focuses on not only providing aid related to domestic catastrophes but it even puts in its contributions and endeavours towards providing empathetic relief services in other fields as well. The American Red Cross was found to extend its helping hand by way of making available community supported services for assisting the deprived and poor. It is also learnt to support along with consoling and reassuring the military members and also their respective immediate families accompanied. The organization is also found to undertake initiatives for gathering, processing and dispensing lifesaving blood and the other relevant products. Various educational curriculums are provided by the organization in order to trigger general consciousness for the promotion of better health as well as safety and providing international aid along with conducting numerous development programs (American Red Cross, 2012). An Overview of the Activities of the American Red Cross The people or individuals associated with the American Red Cross aim and intend mobilization in order to reach out to their neighbours with the required kind of aid in the world, country and street in times of emergencies or crisis. Around four million individuals have been predicted to donate their blood with the help of this organization which makes it one of the major and leading blood suppliers as well as products in the entire United States (US). The American Red Cross is also learnt to extend their support and aid to the several service members of the US who need to live staying away from their respective families owing to the nature of their military duty by way of keeping them connected with their families. The Red Cross on the whole commands a national association of almost 186 nationwide societies and with mutual cooperation and support aids in reinstating hope as well self-esteem to the globe’s most weak and defenseless individuals (American Red Cross, 2012). Majority of the volunteers along with the employees engaged with Red Cross are believed to serve around 70, 000 sufferers of catastrophes in both the large as well as small communities every year. It was estimated that on an average above 9 million individuals are provided training by Red Cross on the aspects of water safety, first aid accompanied with various other skills which are believed to prove to be helpful in saving lives each year. It was also predicted in this context regarding the considered organization that on the basis of a made average around 91 cents with respect to each Dollar spent by Red Cross gets invested or contributed towards the compassionate programs as well as services. As already mentioned that Red Cross functions and operates as a non-profit organization for which reason it remains heavily dependent on the donations related to money, blood and time in order to keep on carrying out and maintain a constant flow of its services (American Red Cross, 2012). Although the organization is believed to be closely related to the federal government for the endorsement of its purposes as well as goals but it still functions as an independent along with volunteer-directed organization. American Red Cross has been learnt to be financially backed by the charitable contributions made by the general public followed by the charges related to cost repayments. The organization is guided by a Board of Governors who put in their participation without any kind of personal interests. The US President has been learnt to act as an honorary Chairman with regard to the organization and makes a selection of eight governors which even entails the board Chairman. The Chairman is believed to put forward recommendations on the basis of which the board decides on the individual who would act as a President. The President is considered to be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the programs along with the policies laid down by the board with regard to the organization. The organization has been found to conduct its operations and activities in close association with respect to the International Committee in relation to the Red Cross regarding subjects pertaining to international clash or disagreement and political, military and social turbulence and disturbances. The American Red Cross is found to be engaged in mutually supporting different national societies for the reason of delivering assistance to the sufferers of catastrophes across the globe (American Red Cross, 2012). The Mission Statement The mission statement of the organization or rather American Red Cross mentions or regards itself to be a compassionate and caring organization that is directed by various volunteers. It considers itself to be channelized by its respective Congressional Charter and also in compliance with the Fundamental Principles in relation to the International Red Cross Movement. The mission of the organization has been stated to be the motive of providing the required assistance to the sufferers of the calamities along with aiding individuals of America to check or resist, get ready for and also for appropriately acting in response to the situations of crises (American Red Cross, 2009; The American National Red Cross, 2001). a). The above comprehension of the mission statement with regard to the organization can be considered quite appropriate in relation to the services offered and the core intentions of the organization. The organization is stated to be a non-profit organization which can be identified lucidly from the use of the word ‘volunteers’ in its mission statement. The mission statement also provides an elucidation regarding the activities and operations that the organization indulges in. Hence, it could be well stated that the mission statement of the organization does encompasses all the intended goals and purposes of the organization and at the same time appears or rather manages to remain comparatively concise. The Fundamental Principles has been stated to be neutrality, charitable service, universality, compassion, impartiality and finally harmony (American Red Cross, 2012). b). The mission statement can also be considered to be quite competent in defining or outlining the geographical operating parameters. It can be lucidly inferred from the mission statement of the organization that it aims and intends to conduct its business operations or rather offer its services locally to the people residing in America. It has been evidently identified in the mission statement that the organization intends to offer its assistance to the wounded of the debacles within the local parameter of the country that is the US. c). The mission statement of the organization has been assessed to be quite skillful in delineating the kind of offered services by the American Red Cross in extensive terms. It has been mentioned in the statement that it is regarded as a compassionate organization which aims at providing aid to the suffered individuals of adversities. It has been also stated in the statement that it even provides assistance to the people of America to avoid, get ready for and take action in times of crisis. The underlying principles on the basis of which the services are offered by the organization have also been mentioned in the mission statement. Therefore, the kind of services offered can be easily drawn or made out from the content of the mission statement of American Red Cross. d). The above mentioned inferences drawn from the mission statement can be stated to appropriately relate to the kind of operations conducted by the organization which has been mentioned previously. The core activity of the organization has been identified to be the delivery of services to the individuals suffering from any kind of disasters which has been focused on vividly in the mission statement. Therefore, the mission statement of the American Red Cross can be considered to be quite consistent with the core activities of the considered non-profit organization. e). A proper and appropriate evaluation of the mission statement of the American Red Cross has been made above on the basis of the previously mentioned activities of the organization. However, it needs to be stated in this regard that the requirement of certain alterations have been identified with regard to the mission statement. The provided details of the nature of activities carried out by the organization reveal that it has been found to be indulged in additional activities apart from just providing services or assistance related to domestic calamities. The other activities entail community and communication services, activities related to blood and such related products, educational assistance regarding health as well as safety along with other global assistance as well as developmental programs. The mention or an account of these activities also needs to be entailed in its mission statement in order to provide an overall picture of the activities that are conducted by the organization on the whole. Conclusion The above discussion helps in providing an account of the complete assessment of the mission statement of American Red Cross which has been made on the basis of its nature of activities and services. The assessment revealed that the mission statement was by large capable of being providing a coherent scenario of the core activities and the services along with its founding principles. The mission statement also gave a lucid understanding of the geographical parameters of its operations along with giving a description of the offered services by the organization in a broader sense. However, it was identified from the assessment that there were still certain activities which needed to be included or rather encompassed in the mission statement in order to provide a current account of the activities that the organization indulges in. References American Red Cross. (2012). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=477859f392ce8110VgnVCM10000030f3870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default American Red Cross. (2012). Diversity Vision Statement. Documents. American Red Cross. (2009). Mission Statement. Annual Report. The American National Red Cross. (2001). National Mission Statement. Retrieved from http://www.fultoncoredcross.org/ Bibliography Oster, S. M. (1995). Strategic management for nonprofit organizations: Theory and cases. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Russ-Eft, D. & Preskill, H. (2009). Evaluation in organizations: A systematic approach to enhancing learning, performance, and change. 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