May 21, 1881: When Helping People Became a System

In the aftermath of disaster, organized response doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built.On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, transforming relief from individual, reactive efforts into a structured system that could coordinate volunteers, resources, and funding across multiple events. That model established the foundation for modern disaster response and continues to influence how aid is delivered today.From bsnsBasics, I’m Ron Trucks, and this is bsnsHistory — the daily podcast where we explain the stories that changed business forever.Written and produced by Ron Trucks.Learn more at www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com