What does it really mean to be independent? If you’re a teenager, you might relate it to leaving home and going off to college. For the Los Angeles American Red Cross, it means one of our guiding principles is to provide services to everyone, no matter what, providing neutral, humanitarian, and impartial services to alleviate human suffering.
Whether it’s opening a shelter in Pico Rivera, or offering blankets after a home fire in Inglewood, or educating neighborhoods on home fire preparedness in Pasadena, we work independently, providing a humanitarian service that does not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature. 
The American Red Cross’ principle of independence means that, like other Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world, we are auxiliary in humanitarian services to local government and subject to local laws, while maintaining autonomy to be able, at all times, to act in accordance with Red Cross principles of neutrality, impartiality and humanity.
Our doors are open to all, making no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions, guided solely by the purpose of alleviating human suffering and giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress.
Learn more about American Red Cross principles
