I come every 8 weeks to donate blood and have done so for a couple of years. It is the easiest way to save a life. You make an appointment online. The facility is clean, full of natural light, and there are always fun seasonal decorations. The check in processs is easy. The snacks are good. If you bike there, they let you bring your bike into a secure room off the lobby downstairs--and I think there's a voucher program for parking now. read more

American Red Cross - Kicking back and saving lives when a whole blood donation. - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Francisco, California

I donated platelets at this facility today. The staff was so friendly and professional. During the procedure, I was surprisingly comfortable considering I had needles in both arms. Not only did I have a nice view of the outdoors but each chair has its own TV. I could Netflix and chill while my blood went out one arm, got separated into components of which some were returned to me in the other arm. I feel like my blood was laundered. : ) Departed feeling full with good karma and cookies. read more

American Red Cross - Enjoying Netflix while donating platelets - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fantastic location! This was my first time giving here. I made an appointment less than 24 hours beforehand on the app. The check in process was super easy. Everyone was very friendly. Service was very prompt as well. I think this was the quickest donating experience I've ever had. The donating process was very smooth. I like how spacious it is upstairs and how nicely decorated it is for the holidays. I got dropped off so I didn't have to deal with parking but I imaging it would suck looking for parking. read more

American Red Cross - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Francisco, California

NO RESPECT FOR THE VALUE OF YOUR TIME I went in a couple times to give blood, and after the first time, I was expected to wait half an hour or longer, even though I had an appointment. Never again. read more

I started regularly donating platelets here after realizing that I have a high platelet count earlier this year. I try to go weekly when I can and it's easy to book and manage appointments via their Blood Donor App. With the platelet donation process taking a total of around 3 hours, doing the Rapid Pass on the app beforehand is super appreciated by the staff! The location is easily accessible by public transit - I take the 6/7 bus lines from home or the N, K, J, M Muni lines from FiDi. I was a little confused about how to enter the building at first since a security guard needs to buzz you inside. Absolutely love all of the staff. They are super helpful, kind, and attentive throughout the whole process. Even when I had a needle infiltration, I was well taken care of! I was also turned away often in the beginning for low hemoglobin but the staff was very knowledgeable & appreciative. I usually come in at 2PM and it's pretty empty with no wait. I have never done a walk-in red blood donation but I often see a lot of quick walk-ins with no wait time as well. Each platelet donation station has a TV with all the streaming platforms and headphones to listen with. The center is always well-stocked with snacks and donor gifts every time I come in. Highly recommend! read more

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Warren and Nicolle were amazing. So informative and supportive. I got dizzy towards the end of my blood donation and because of their quick reaction and knowledge of what to do, I did not faint. They had lots of snacks and juice readily available. Very clean and professional facility. read more

Had an amazing experience donating blood for the first time today at this donation center. Located on the second floor of the building, the space was very clean, well-lighted and super spacious! Everything was also seamless from check-in to the actual procedure. The staff assigned to me, Lanisha, was especially kind and answered all my questions :) Looking forward to donating regularly from now on! read more

Dear friends, I sit here in Long Island New York and feel helpless as I watch the Heartbreak of the many currently raging wildfires that have devastated so many people's lives. In just a few short days. The Loss has been unfathomable.. with some of these monster California Fires burning at a rate of 30 football fields a minute...(That's "30"a minute!) These horrific wildfires have claimed countless animals and resulted in billions of dollars in damage. I was emotionally shaken to hear of how many who lost their lives.. where discovered in their cars fleeing the hell. I cannot thank FIREMAN, FIRST Responders, POLICE.. and all of Our Heroes enough for their incredible dedication selfless actions and tireless heroic efforts. Thank you to all who battle these fires from our firemen and First Responders, police and Community Folk armed with only a hose and shovel. I pray and praise you all who rushed selflessly to Aid .. .. and they continue to fight these fires as we speak.. as I am writing. You can do something small.. it won't take but a few minutes if you want to help.. you can do it now with the phone right in your hand.. just text to REDCROSS to 90999 for a $10..Donation! It's such a small amount .. Give more if you could afford.. if we ALL do it it'll make SUCH a DIFFERENCE. We won't be as helpless anymore, we'll be the the Yelp family that shows caring and love in a way that can give back. Or if you also can you can directly fund the First Responders right in the neighborhoods of need. Go to htpp://supportlafd.org If ALL of my friends and family across the Yelp world do this small thing we ..will help ease the pain just a little bit do such good to help so many... and not feel as helpless. Please join me !! and DONATE today. read more

American Red Cross - Please HELP text REDCROSS to 90999 for $10 donation for California Wildfires relief - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Francisco, California

Did my CPR/First Aid training for adults and kids last week. Had a great experience. If you sign up, make sure to do the online portion, and take the test at the end! Some people didn't do that or forgot to print out the certificate which the instructor WILL CHECK!! If you don't take the test online, which is just 30 simple MC questions after watching two hours worth of short video tutorials, you have to take a written test after the workshop! That is no fun, so bring your certificate! Also this is something fun to do with a friend because they pair you up to practice the heimlich and other emergency procedures which was kinda awkward for me to do with a strange man... The certificates are online and you get it after one day via email! It's super convenient in case you lose it, you can print another one. I also was able to secure a coupon code for 30% online so I only paid 70!! I had been putting this off cause I didn't know much about it, but the whole thing is super super super easy! And you learn a lot of emergency protocols. read more

American Red Cross - Head tilt/chin lift technique on infant dolls! - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Francisco, California

great teaching But location was not that great

The place was clean, the staff was very attentive. Hand sanitizer and other disinfectant was always used before they let the blood donor touch or sit or lay down on anything. Karl was the person who was caring for me, he was nice and funny, made the whole process so pleasant. They provide snacks, water, and juice for us. I'd totally come to donate blood here again. Oh parking is the only thing that was kinda painful, plan to spare some 15 mins to find a street parking. read more

You need to check if your work place (hospitals, EMS) recognizes the CPR license from Red Cross BEFORE registering! I took mine from the Red Cross and my workplace rejected it. They want one from AHA. That was $70 and 3 hours down the drain. I asked my Red Cross instructor if the certification is accepted and she gave me a vague. "Why not "? That should had clued me in. FYI , the Red Cross CPR certification USED to be acceptable (as I later learned ) for some reason it is no longer accepted by some hospitals. read more

CPR isn't about saving a life. Yes, you may save a random life with it, but mostly CPR is about saving the life of someone you love. Face it...if you aren't a medical or 911 professional, the odds of having to save a stranger on the street are a fraction of having to deal with a parent/child/significant other at home who is choking or whose heart for whatever reason isn't pumping blood. Yes, it can happen to you. Kids drown it pools, adults get steak caught in their throat or hurt in accidents or party too hard, older people's tickers just give out. CPR training gives you a good shot at saving these lives. And its just a few hours to learn. I've had CPR in the past, my card was expired, decided to renew at the American Red Cross. I picked ARC because they happened to have a conveniently scheduled class. But wow...did I luck out. The instructor, Tony Douglas, was excellent, head and shoulders above any CPR instructions I've had before. Knew the material cold, told just enough cool paramedic stories to keep people interested without wasting class time, was articulate, and best of all, was full of useful tips and tricks. For example, rescue breathing requires a breath every five seconds (one one thousand, two one thousand...) and counting cycles (1, 2, 3) but its easy to get confused. Tony's solution? Use months (January, February...) to count the cycles. Simple and effective. I cornered Tony after class and he said he also teaches for the American Heart Association and can do private or group certification classes. He's good. Contact him at tonemt67@yahoo.com. read more

Did someone say mouth to mouth? Well, now I'm officially certified to administer it. If you need me to dislodge something with my fingers, I can do that, as well. The life-saving skills taught here are INVALUABLE. Especially living in an area that is likely to have a big QUAKE SHAKEDOWN any day now, I think individual and community Emergency Preparedness is A MUST! Before this weekend, I was only certified to give CPR to infants (any child under 1 year of age). Now, I can actually affect the heart rates and beats of men closer to my age group...HERRRRRO! Seriously, I think that after seeing MULTIPLE vehicular and pedestrian accidents near my residence in SF, being equipped to assist by more than just dialing 9-11 (although, that is an invaluable skill itself) is empowering. I think that everyone should not be afraid to help their fellow human being. read more

I had such a great experience during my CPR/AED class. I enjoyed every minute of it. Luckily I had opportunity to have Roger Stephens as instructor and it was fun. He explained everything, he didn't just read from slides. So my overall experience was wonderful and it's worth it! read more

Thank you American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter for my certificate to perform CPR! If I had not went to one of the many sessions they have, I would not have learned so much from basic first aid to making sure you ask "Are you okay?" to an unconscious person before starting CPR. =) The class was held on Saturday but it was free and might I say, I am pretty impressed with what I can do with that silly looking dummy. remember your ABC's! read more

One of the best non-profits in the city. Great people doing great works. Here is the link for a host of courses offered that can make a impact on your community and help focus your volunteer interests and skills. http://www.redcross.org/courses/index.jsp?_requestid=381479 If you wish to donate blood, please click the link below: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/first-time-donors read more

If you want to practice your non french kissing skills, this is the place to go. I just did the 8 hour CPR/first aid for adults and infants, what a blast. I had to kiss the manequin at least 100 times and the baby one another 30. I had to lay down on the so-so not clean carpet and smell my neighbors bad breath or was it mine? Anyway, this is it. i am CPR/first aid certified so if you see me come and help you when you cut one leg or fall from a bus, do not be afraid I now know what I am doing. Class was actually good and apart from the kissing and the smell, I have learnt a lot. i just hope noone will sue me after I help them... read more

Awesome staff. I swear they remember my face LoL! Decided to give everything I would've spent on a blazer at J Crew to help fund the relief efforts in Japan. This is probably my largest donation to date but it felt great. +100 for accepting credit cards. Take my money already guys!! I still haven't seen it posted on my credit card. =D read more

I came here to take my CPR/First Aide Training. It was easy to register for the course. The teacher was awesome! 8 hour class and she made it go by really fast. (Sorry I forgot her name..) I had to pay for this class. I dont know when they have those free classes. Now as I write this, I have to get re certified! ha read more

I won't comment on the classes as I have never taken them but I can vouch for the staff as they are fantastic people. I had to drop off a check for my company's support of the relief efforts in China and from the moment I stepped into the office, they were very accomodating. Great organization and the do a lot in the Bay Area... not just San Francisco. read more

I don't mean to sound all dooms day and end of times and l ron hubbard and shit but listen, the BIG ONE is coming. i can feel it in my bones (and yes, i have bones under the layers and layers of fat so fuck you). listen now and hear me later or listen now and fucking listen up NOW because WE NEED TO BE PREPARED! i may talk shit about all you fools behind your backs on a regular basis but if i find out that any of the yelpers die in the BIG ONE (it's coming!!), i will be like this: :-( . So get your ass to the American Red Cross store and stock up on water purifying tablets, emergency food bars (actually very delicious, i had to delve into mine when i was stuck in traffic on the way back from Sacramento. it was an EMERGENCY, i could have DIED from MILD HUNGER PANGS.) and those really cool flashlight/radio/cell phone charger things that you charge yourself by making a motion like your jerking your wang. Seriously, go here now. I don't want to go all Alive on you and be forced to eat your head because you weren't smart enough to plan ahead. I'm vegan strictly as a protest to the revolting factory farming in this country but I have no problem eating you...in fact, I bet with all the eating you do, you are fatty and delicious. Also, the most adorable gay boy works here so if you're looking for an adorable gay boy, he's your man. Plus, he'd be good to have around in an emergency. Like the BIG ONE. it's coming. I mean, look around you, the signs are everywhere. This planet is fucking FUCKED and I can't say that we don't deserve it because humans really are disgusting and awful but I would like to be around to re-build civilization with John Travolta and a bunch of robots. read more

I had been putting it off and putting it off for weeks now.... finally decided to get the CPR training that I need for work, so I payed my $45 and chose the San Rafael location out of convenience. So they say the class is from 6pm-10:30, but it ended at 9 (thank god.) Honestly, it may sound dumb but I wish everyone was required to take this course. In 3 hours I not only learned how to master CPR, but learn an incredible amount of first aid as well. My friends are not going to believe that I, out of all people, am now certified to use an AED machine ( i.e. those shocker things that you do to a person's chest). That might have been my favorite part of the class. I have to admit. I'm pretty impressed with myself. While there were no hot firefighters/lifeguards teaching the class like I had dreamt about, I'd do it over again anytime. read more

Highly disappointed with the service here at Red Cross. I signed up for a cpr class and came to find out that the company I work for as an EMT does not accept Red Cross.. only American heart cpr cert.. I work 12 hour shifts from 7 to 7 and was not able to get them on the phone to cancel.. they told me there's nothing they could do as it was past 24 hour window when I finally got a hold of them.. no understanding for my situation at all... over a hundred dollars down the drain for nothing. Glad to see their bottom line is more important than helping a first responder read more

I gotta give five stars for such an awesome organization. FREE CPR certification around the bay area today, praising us for taking the time out on the weekend to learn, when they are doing so much to save the lives of so many! I got to hear a lot about emergency situations ("Drop. Cover. Hold On!"), not to mention what to do when someone is choking and/or unconscious. They offer a multitude of classes so we can all help and not sit idly by while everyone is in a panic. It was a pleasant experience, even though the dvd was a little boring. read more

The American Red Cross is wonderful. If you're ever in a rut or lost, go the the Red Cross.

I did the First Aid/CPR/AED for Adults & Paediatrics due to my friend saying she had the best class here with a 17 year old guy instructor who was "so awesome and knowledgeable". I got Anthony Casanova as an instructor and wasted my money. I didn't learn much at all and could barely understand his accent which isn't his fault. Mr Casanova spent the majority of time with irrelevant stories like getting drunk on the beach in Nicaragua impressing the girls. I left completely unable and unconfident to help or save anyone's life. He started late, finished early, wasted our time. If it wasn't for the good work of the Red Cross I'd make sure to get my money back. Go here if you can be assured NOT to get Anthony Casanova. He was a lovely man personally but had this "island approach" to everything and just wanted to chat and not clearly go over the procedures. We got less than an hours worth of info out of him in a 6.5 hour course. I don't want to be mean but he was so bad and I just can't believe the Red Cross have hired this hack for over 25 years according to him. Please be aware of this clown and know that he will waste your time and money. read more

Been trying for weeks to sign up for a CPR/AED/First Aid class, but their website won't let me do it. None of my requests for help have been responded to. read more