Clara Barton was born in Massachusetts in 1821. She began her work as a teacher. When the Civil War came, in Lincoln's time, she found a new way to help.
Key idea
Clara Barton cared for wounded soldiers in the Civil War. In 1881 she started the American Red Cross, which still helps people after disasters.
Why it works
During the war, Clara Barton brought food, bandages and comfort right to the battlefields, where soldiers needed help most. A doctor called her an "angel of the battlefield." After the war she helped families find soldiers who were missing. Then she started the American Red Cross. Today, when there is a flood, a fire or a storm, Red Cross volunteers bring shelter, food and blankets.
Common mistake
Some children think helpers are only people in uniforms today. People have served others all through history, and many of them were volunteers, people who help without being paid. Clara Barton did much of her work as a volunteer.
For the grown-up: Clara Barton led the American Red Cross for 23 years. Talk about ways your family can volunteer, as community helpers do.