Did not want to hijack thread. But my daughter swears against donating blood to them, She has us go to another company that promises to keep in in MI. I never cared but she claims after research they are a bad deal! We travel further when we can donate but I support her concerns!

The Red Cross sells the blood that people give it for free. They are a bad organization. Only 9 cents of every dollar they beg makes it to the people they claim to help. They should be banned from operating as a charity.

Keith

If you want to give blood you can sell it. Better than letting those parasites profit from it.

I sell mine. Usually get a nice insulated mug or blanket or t shirt along with $35.

Oneblood.

Many years ago I got a phone call on Sunday night. A young man was going into surgery tomorrow morning and would need six units of blood. Six men volunteered. We were in a room donating our blood as the surgery was progressing. I assume our blood was given immediately to the patient.

Gave me a good feeling.

I’ve heard 90%, but that doesn’t jibe with the nattering nabobs of negativity on here…

I have been giving a triple unit of platelets for 25 years through what used to be the Blood Center of WI but is now Versiti. I give monthly so Ihave given lots of gallon equivelents. I also gave blood twice yearly during that time for 36 years when they came to our church. I don't know how many units of blood I gave to the Red Cross before going to the Blood center. Platelets big use is for cancer patients. I am a donor match for a patient for early next month, so they changed my schedule to work with this patient.
I have never sold any of my blood related products. The scarcity for blood is really increasing as many younger potential donars through life choices don't qualify for donations. There will need to be a viable artificial or synthetic product made if this trend continues.

Bryce

I feel better after giving blood it never bothered me.

Probably didn't go to that particular patient, it was used to replace what she used, pint for pint. Used to give regular in the service, most of us did, some just for the day off from duty's that went with it! LOL

I gave once to Central Blood Bank of PA and it was a rough experience. Filled the bag in three and a half minutes and felt really rough for two hours after. Since I’m O Negative they called or emailed me weekly after that. No, younz can’t have any more…please!

I've traveled hundreds of miles at a time making emergency blood deliveries for the American Red Cross.

I don't do that for free.

Maybe the blood was donated, but, they still have plenty of expenses.

Quit your belly-aching.

Agreed. They put your blood through a screening process. Maybe in an extreme emergency?

Not trying to ruin your feeling! Your blood went to someone in desperate need for sure maybe even saved a life! Should feel very proud!

They operate as a non-profit. I don’t know how you define a “charity”, not sure the IRS ever penciled that one out, but colloquially speaking, there is a big difference between a charity and a non-profit.

I used to give to Red Cross. I stopped several years ago. They seemed to waste a lot of time before and during the process. I give double packed red cells. Many times I would be 60-90 minutes. The actual time giving blood is very short. My time might not be valuable to them but it is valuable to me. I started giving to Life Serve. All blood given is supposed to be used locally. I have been registered, made my donation and out the door in less than 45 minutes. I appreciate their speed.

I also got soured on Red Cross when they gave all the gift cards away after one of the hurricanes several years ago. Lots of money went to waste.

I would give them NOTHING! .

So everyone is clear all companies collecting blood sell the blood. What they do costs a ton of money and we NEED them! My daughter's issues with red cross were political. She blabbed it all to me a time or two but I did not listen enough to repeat much here. God gave me this body, every so many days I can give blood that will save others, no brainer to this simple man. I let me daughter deal with the details. Nice for once!

What's the cliffs notes version?

I went to give at the Fleet Farm parking lot in Fond du lac. Red Cross had a bus there. They no longer do the paperwork. You have to do it on their tablet. No matter what I entered it kept kicking me back to the main screen. I finally told them to have a nice day and left.

I've been on a couple catastrophic events, along with some drownings that took many man hours to complete along with displaced victims.

Amongst all the organizations out there to so call "help" the only ones that actually showed and helped was The Red Cross. On several occasions.

Well Target corp also donated a semi full of product once, too. I'm not a big fan of Target these days but I'll give them credit where credit is due. I'll say Target was probably more of a PR thing. I can't say that about the Red Cross.

Just my experience.