The American Red Cross - Essay Example

The American Red Cross is renowned for its ability to foster community volunteerism to assist victims of natural disasters and improve the health and safety of civilians through educational programs. This particular non-profit organization uses many of the same structured leadership programs found in the U.S. government, such as those in FEMA and other disaster guidebooks. The Red Cross currently sustains more than a half million volunteers across the globe and the organization touts over four million community citizens in its blood donation program.

These activities could not be successfully coordinated without leadership structures, the vertical hierarchy, in which command and control managers provide guidance and leadership to citizens not necessarily familiar with working amid a hierarchy of control. Volunteer physicians, nurses, and even military support teams provide this guidance, thus giving The American Red Cross one of the most beneficial team methodology structures of other, smaller non-profit organizations. They are able to accomplish this successfully as approximately 91 cents of every dollar donated to the organization goes directly to humanitarian relief programs.

All of these efforts are coordinated at the executive level by the current President and CEO of the organization, Gail J. McGovern. All decision-making starts at this layer of the hierarchy and trickles down throughout the on-site disaster and educational teams.  This particular organization was chosen for the most relevant to receive donations. because of its long history of success, the ease of donating money using virtual means (Internet), and the fact that it manages to cut its expenses so that nearly every dollar goes directly to people in need.

The relief provided by The American Red Cross includes hot meals and blood for people who have been victims of tornadoes, earthquakes, and other difficult disaster scenarios. The organization is so widely diverse in