The organisation's president Josip Jelic said that the Croatian Red Cross conducted 19 activities on a regular basis plus 41 programmes which were carried out by 131 local branches across the country.
Red Cross soup kitchen serve 530,000 meals annually.
Jelic spoke about the 100,000 Croatian citizens who receive social welfare payments and who need assistance from charities.
HCK Executive Director Robert Markt spoke about the beginnings of the work of the association in 1878 when first associations of volunteers were set up in Zadar, Dubrovnik and Zagreb.
The celebrations of the 140th anniversary are being held under the auspices of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, parliament, government and City of Zagreb.