Reconnecting separated families is a mission Clara Barton carried with her when the American Red Cross began in 1881. It’s a service that has been delivered by the organization in various ways since.
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Restoring Family Links program being established as a separate team within the organization. This event celebrates this milestone and shares information about the ways global events have affected the program and organization over the years.
The American Red Cross helps reconnect loved ones when:
- Families are separated internationally as a result of conflict, disaster, migration or other humanitarian emergency.
- Families have already tried normal channels of communication to reconnect.
- The family member making the inquiry is able to provide essential information on the sought person.
- The family member making the inquiry is a relative who had been in direct contact with the sought person before the crisis occurred.
