I have been a loyal blood donor with the Southeast Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross for…read moredecades. Starting with a local blood drive at my church, I was invited to join their Pheresis program. I became a successful participant and still look forward to helping others in this way. When I had a 'factory job' years ago, it was easy for me to set up appointments on a fairly regular basis. At that time, I was usually once a month in my visits. In the past few years, however, I have been an over-the-road trucker with a non traditional schedule, making my availability to donate unpredictable. The American Red Cross has come out with a phone app to assist in scheduling, keeping track of donations, locating local blood drives by ZIP code, etc. A major glitch occurred when I scheduled an appointment on the same day using their app. I showed up before my allotted time and waited just inside their front door for initial screening during the 2020 pandemic. I showed my appointment on the app, however, since my name didn't appear on their printed list, I was turned away. I was so sad. However, I found out that my local church was having a blood drive recently and I happily signed up. The app made it easy to schedule my appointment and everything went well. If you are looking to make a difference in people's lives, this can be a life-saving act of kindness towards those in your local community. Just roll up your sleeve and the professionals at Red Cross will do the rest. Save a life, schedule to donate today!

This was my first time donating blood! The building was nice and clean, and the staff was so fun!…read moreThey were also very professional, quick, and made me feel so comfortable. It was a great experience, and I'll for sure do it again!

My total experience is one that has been the most demeaningful thing I've ever done at 57 years…read moreold. I can honestly say I was a bit drowsy goin there, so instead of lifting me up and boosting the spirit of donating, I was basically scrutinized against from these horrible people they claim to be human. Animals have better treatment. There could have been a more pleasant response other then to defer me or ban me for a year. Well I tell ya, lesson learned, and I hope the witch who treated me like this has her day of judgement, karma is coming for you.

Waiting in line for hours is just completely insane for 45 dollars lately yall have been extremely…read moreslow less workers now so it takes longer to even donate now like honestly I might switch to a better donation center bay road yall gotta do better have my legs and back hurting standing for hours been standing in line since 230pm and its 409. Hire more workers then smfh this is absolutely fucking retarded better pay would be nice since yall lost yall charm foreal this place is a joke now

Miss McKayla and the rest of the staff...do their absolute best to take care of each person in a…read moretimely and professional manner. All anyone can ask is for your best! As I believe they all do that at this facility!!

They are nice here for the most part. They do the best they can being short staffed. I feel for the…read moreones that gave to stick and take down and monitor alone. But they need better training on all types of veins

Very grateful to have such a delightful staff and clean space to do something good for others &…read moremyself. I was screened as a new donor through Kim & she was absolutely delightful. Highly recommend!

Security guard was extremely rude Friday December 12. I was waiting in line at 6 am when he said I…read morewas standing too close to the person in front of me. I replied I was merely trying to lean on one of the posts because I have a bad back. He said, I don't want any backtalk and threatened to make me leave if he had to tell me again

Very disappointing, very under staff.... I donate and still haven't received my payment... Can't…read moreget anyone on the phone to handle the situation. I shouldn't have to double back just to receive my money

understaffed and lackadaisical staff with management that couldn't motivate coke head to roll a 20…read moreup. I've been here for over 2 hours and i still haven't stuck. nobody has said anything about the wait or WTF is going on. if i wasn't just without work for 3 weeks and got my car fixed i wouldn't be here. you'd have have to double the money. i could've made over 3X the money door dashing for this amount of time. my plasma better save someone's life cos this is some bullshit and not worth my time for much longer. ps the bathrooms are a nightmare and look like you get hep b just from looking at the toilet. I've also got a flat tire in the parking lot cos the clientele here are trashy AF for the most part. i can't stand coming here, but I'm not driving almost an hour to go back to Biolife in Flint. they're heads and shoulders better than this place. messed up when Flint is better at something than you.

Friends, I stopped…read moreby the American Red Cross and made a special donation yesterday. I am an Apheresis donor, meaning they don't take the traditional whole blood, only the component(s) they need the most, and returning the rest to me. Yesterday I made a triple - my donation of platelets was enough to help three separate recipients. Apparently, this was a first for me, as I have made double donations many times before. Apheresis involves being hooked up to a machine and having the blood cycled through, filtering out the component that they need most. In addition to platelets, I have given red blood cells in the past, sometimes double-red donations. I was told of a video that was shot a couple years ago here in Detroit by a local TV station - WDIV Channel 4. It walks you through the whole process from donor to recipient(s). A little over 12 minutes long, even if you have never donated blood, it should be interesting to see how the blood makes it's way from one arm to the next, saving lives that would otherwise be lost. Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFNnQmV-kS4

If more of the public saw donation centres like Berkley's, they might be inclined to swing around…read moreevery 56 days to pump out a pint. No longer do you have to experience the life of British sailor on the high seas, swinging in a cot of nylon straps about a foot off the floor. Modern conveniences turn this blood donation into a luxury cruise. Really, you don't have to go anywhere and you get to watch traffic sail by on Woodward with a slightly lightheaded feeling. Friendly staff cater to your needs, bringing pillows and making sure you are comfortable. At the end you get to stop at the snack bar for cookies, juice and water, serenaded by soft rock and smiling seniors who volunteer and work here. Being stabbed in the arm by a long, pointy needle isn't that different from being on board the average ship, right? Like a good Princess Cruise or Carnival boat, you're expected to sprawl out and enjoy yourself in cozy reclining chair/beds. Do away with those horrible strappy contraptions at temporary donation sites, and hie yourself here for a great thirty minute stopover. Get in some reading, chat with the entertaining staff, or daydream. It's cheaper than popping down to a dock and you have far less chance of getting Norovirus. Cruise ships only wish they were this clean. The longest part of your visit will be post check-in when you run the gauntlet of reading materials and waiting on a doctor or nurse to check your hemoglobin in. Customs on a tiny island is usually worse though peak hours can be a bit of a drag. Unlike those ports of call, Berkley Blood Centre offers magazines for those who don't come armed with their own book or Kindle. Once you're through, though, the stay is a quick and efficient one. The staff have their procedures down and smoothly progress through setting you up and explaining the rules until you're pumping your fist in the air and looking forward to that prize cookie. The Blood Center sits at the corner of Catalpa and Woodward across from Trader Joe's and the easy parking. Ample parking can be found in the lot adjacent to the small complex, though expect crowds if the ever delicious Donut Cutter is open. Stop in before hand for a treat to get your blood sugar up in advance!

This place is the worst you can go to. You should see the 5 inches dark purple bruise they gave…read moremy arm which stopped me from going for a month. These people are assholes.

I have tried to get through both #'s. (248) and 855 #'s. I sat on hold a total of 30 minutes. For…read morebeing so demanding for Plasma this is terrible! I wanted to start donating unfortunately never got through to make an appointment. Renee Arnold Guzman0818@gmail.com

So, most of us are familiar with the American Red Cross either through blood drives or due to the…read moreneed of emergency relief throughout the United States during times of crisis. But did you know that the American Red Cross, more specifically the Southeastern Chapter, located on Mack Ave, just off of Woodward offers more than just emergency relief to the community and blood drives? In addition to these wonderful things, the American Red Cross of SE Michigan provides training to individuals and workplaces in CPR and AED, youth programs like babysitter training, nurse assistant training, and community outreach programs. The staff of this non-profit organization is caring and compassionate. I donate blood here regularly and the staff always is friendly and makes my experience stress free. Check out their website for class schedules, local blood drives and volunteer opportunities.

I've donated blood at this location a number of times. They only run the blood donation center on…read moreThursdays and Saturdays, which is sort of a pain. Luckily for me those both happen to be days I usually have a little extra time, so it's not too big of a deal. The facility is clean and efficient, with friendly nurses. I am always in and out of this center much faster than when I've donated blood at other locations (which probably has to do with the fact that just not as many people come to this one). There is a man named Maurice who works/volunteers here, checking folks in and manning the cookie & juice table - what a guy! SO friendly, always has a joke and an interesting story. You can tell he so genuinely enjoys the work he does there, and he will thank you all over the place for coming and donating. It is nice to see someone so truly happy to be doing something good, and it is nice to feel appreciated for doing my part as well. If you donate here once, though, as soon as enough time has passed for you to be eligible to donate again, they will BLOW UP your phone calling to get you back in. Slightly annoying, but you gotta appreciate the persistence. :)

Good experiences until yesterday. Apparently your texts have become overconfident in their…read moreabilities. Maybe if the first tech had been looking at my arm instead of looking up talking she would've actually hit the vein on the first try. Two text later we finally got it in. Too bad they were all too busy talking to notice that my yellow light was flashing. By the time someone noticed and came over and I had to ask for a ball it was too late. There was a clot in the tube! we know how bad you want that plasma so let's try the arm with the hidden veins. Three stabs later finally got it in. Too bad it didn't hold up! I can't believe I kept my composure through all of this. By now you've taken too much blood for me to just let you keep it so we're gonna try to force it back into my vein which wouldn't go because obviously there was still part of a clot in the tubing! I actually had to tell them to stop because the pressure in my vein was so great. I could tell it was getting ready to explode! So they gave me a Gatorade and let me know I would be paid for yesterday's visit. Too bad that both arms are blown out now. Not only is this how I planned on picking up a couple of Christmas gifts, but if I were to end up sick and in the hospital, the medical professionals would have a hell of the time trying to get any blood draw from me. Blowing my veins out and then deferring me for two months is like taking $400 out of my pockets. And that's on the low side. This is definitely open my eyes. Not sure I could suggest for anyone to ever donate plasma after my last experience there. And you guys came highly recommended. No way would I try any of the other places and seriously thinking about never coming back to this one.

I enjoy going, the workers are nice & courteous. They remember your name & keep a close eye on the…read moremachines that they are working properly.

Terrible way to run a business that is suppose to be considered about saving lives. My son has a…read moredisability and he went in and told him he was deferred because of his hygenine(body odor). Mind you he rode 6 miles on a bike to the center. Also, Karsten says he is the coordinator, after me asking for the office manager they sent this person up. My son is given rides to his appointments from his insurance and they waited til he got there to tell him he was deferred because of his odor. No where are the rules are hung anywhere in the facility.

this place overall I would give it a 4/10. There are barely any workers here at all . there is only…read moreone person doing vitals ,You are going to wait at least 40 mins to a hour to even get your vitals done. I just sat down in the chair and Ive been waiting to get hooked up for about 20 mins as of right now. I came for the first two donations bonus and I will not be returning!!