SALEM, Ore. (July 8, 2019) — The American Red Cross Cascades Chapter office in Salem and the Red Cross Salem Blood Donation Center have relocated to 1860 Hawthorne Ave. NE. Prevoiusly operating out of two separate buildings, the new location houses disaster relief operations, support for armed forces, and a blood donation center all under one roof.
To celebrate the new opening, the Red Cross Cascades Region is hosting a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, July 10 at 10 a.m. Local volunteers, officials and others will gather to officially open the new building to residents in Salem and the surrounding communities.
“Moving the disaster response office and the blood donation center to one centralized location provides greater convenience to our volunteers and the community that we serve,” said Dale Kunce, CEO of the American Red Cross Cascades Region. “The new Salem office will be the home base for disaster relief operations; will offer training rooms to provide first aid, CPR and AED certification courses; and will support blood collection to ensure we maintain a safe and stable blood supply for patients in need.”
The Red Cross will host a blood drive at its new Salem location Saturday, July 13, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tours will be offered and the public can learn about volunteer opportunities in blood collection, disaster and emergency relief, and service to the armed forces.
The Cascades Region of the Red Cross serves Oregon and SW Washington utilizing the support of over 3,000 volunteers. In 2018, the Cascades Region responded to 729 local disasters; provided training for more than 70,000 people in first aid, CPR, water safety and other lifesaving skills; and provided services to military members, veterans and their families seven times a day.
Community invited to make a lifesaving difference at new Salem location
The newly relocated Red Cross Salem Blood Donation Center will continue to offer donors the opportunity to give whole blood, platelets or plasma. Blood and platelets are needed every day for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. In fact, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion, and every 15 seconds a patient needs platelets.
In the Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region, 125 platelet and 514 blood donations are needed each day to meet the needs of patients.
Donors are encouraged to make an appointment to give blood by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App.
Red Cross Salem Blood Donation Center Hours
1860 Hawthorne Ave. NE
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays: 1:30-7 p.m.
Thursdays: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Fridays: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
first Saturday of the month: 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
How to donate blood
All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass are encouraged to help speed up the donation process. RapidPass lets donors complete the pre-donation reading and answer the health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass from the convenience of a mobile device or computer, or through the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/cascades or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossCasc.
###