The Armenian Relief Society is a women charitable organization. Since 1998 is a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Set up in 1910 with the efforts of Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) political figure E. Aknuni (Khachatur Malumian) and unity of different Armenian women organizations in USA it was called ARF Red Cross.
In the first delegation meeting (May 1915) the organization was introduced with its 32 branches operating in USA and Canada.
In 1919 in the second delegation meeting in Boston taking into consideration the fact of the creation of State Red Cross in Republic of Armenia (1918-20) it has joined together and was renamed Daughters of Armenia.
After the First World War the Daughters of Armenia started up working in Western Armenia, Cilicia and other regions of Turkey. In July 1921 in the joint conference in Boston the Daughters of Armenia has joined to the National Red Cross functioning under the patronage 
of Armenian Constitutional Labor Party and was called Armenian Red Cross. After two years of joint operation, the Armenian Red Cross continued acting independently by the new name.
In 1926 after the Shirak earthquake the Armenian Red Cross made donations for earthquake victims. Also, it made financial donations in order to help the Zanguezur earthquake victims in 1931. However, the aid was denied by the Soviet Union authorities.
For long years it sent clothing and other aids to Syria, Lebanon, Greece and Iraq in large quantities. For the purpose of preserving the national identity among Armenian youth in Diaspora and giving them Armenian education the Armenian Red Cross founded 
Armenian schools in different countries.
During the Second World War the Armenian Red Cross of USA sent financial resources, medicine, clothing, foodstuff for health needs of Soviet Armenia.
By the decision of the delegation meeting in 1946 the organization was renamed Armenian Relief Society (ARS). The ARS developed activities in health, social and educational spheres.
In January 1939 the first issue of the magazine “Armenian Red Cross” appeared. Up to 1946 it was published under that name, in 1946-1956 was renamed “Armenian Relief Society” and from 1956 “Armenian Heart” (four issues in a year). Since 1992 the “ARS Guide” was published by the regional administration of the Western America.
After the Spitak earthquake in 1988 the Earthquake Relief Fund of Armenia (ERFA) was founded under the direct patronage of the ARS Western America region. The fund aimed to assist to reconstruction of the regions suffered from the earthquake, to provide medical support for the public, etc.
In 1991 with the efforts of the ARS it was created the Armenian Relief Cross (ARC) - the ARS regional organization, which in 2000 was re-registered as the ARS of Armenia.
Now 54 ARS branches are operating in Armenia. With about its 1500 members the ARS is implementing numerous projects in Armenia in social, health and educational spheres.
In 1991 under the patronage of the ARS the first women weekly newspaper “Aragast” was published in RA with its separate Russian version.
The ARS units are functioning in Artsagh and Javakh since 1996 and 2001 respectively.
The ARS has units in 25 countries of the world
Egypt
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Australia
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Iran
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Georgia
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Armenia
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Karabagh
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Syria
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Lebanon
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Jordan
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Kuwait
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Israel
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France
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| Sweden
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Bulgary
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Cyprus
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Germany
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Switzerland |
Greece
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England
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Canada
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Argentina
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Brazil
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Uruguay
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USA (East Coast)
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