I've been donating platelets and plasma to the Red Cross for more than a year. I always go to the…read morecenter on Everett Road, which is generally a bit busy.There's a good size staff. They're all very capable and very nice. The donors are nice, too. Donating platelets -- and sometimes plasma too-- is a time consuming process. It takes 2-3 hours. Platelets are cell fragments needed to stop bleeding. Plasma is the liquid part of the blood. Together, they help people who are battling cancer. Having lost friends to cancer, I donate in order to help. My donations have been sent to hospitals across the country. I can track where they went through the Red Cross app. The Red Cross doesn't pay donors but they can offer $10 store coupons and fun merch. For instance, today was free beach towel day. They seem to be very popular. Regardless, I think most of the donors would give without coupons and freebies. Everyone has lost someone to cancer and it's touching to hear their stories about how they've been moved to donate.

I was stopped during the last donation without any excuse. People were staring and when my wife…read morecalled the red cross offices (we always donate together and she was accepted) and they told her that I had donated 6 times already this year. They don't accept donors to donate more than 6 times a year, but boy did i feel like a criminal, when I was told that could not donate. In addition, twice in the past the staff were not able to finish the donation due to inability to find a vain. Since then I warn the staff to get someone with experience and they comply. I don't think that the staff is very good, other than the supervisor. I guess that the capable ones work in better places. Also they lost my records from the past. I was a donor in the US Army but was stopped from donating due to mad cow disease, because I had served overseas for more than three years. S I started over. These idiots will not stop me from donating. It is bigger than them.

Awesome people doing awesome stuff! Most comfortable chairs I've donated in! Plus they have TVs and…read moremovies for people donating double platelets and plasma!

I'm proud to say that I'm devoted to donating blood…read more You can donate anywhere, but I'm going to tell you why you should donate on your local Bloodmobile or to your local blood bank. If you donate locally, the blood stays in your community and helps to keep your blood bank at its capacity should there be a need (and there is *always* a need for blood for many, many reasons.) If you donate to an organization such as the Red Cross, your blood goes to its nearest Red Cross blood distribution center (which for me, is about three hours away.) It costs money and takes time to get blood when you need it if you don't have your blood bank replenished locally. I'm not saying don't donate to the Red Cross, that'd be absurd. Especially if there is a national need for blood. Please, please, please donate any way possible. But for me, the Bloodmobile is the way to go. Mine is with Berkshire Health Systems. I was scared at first because I'm terrified by needles and totally oogey about it, but there is nothing scary about donating on the Bloodmobile. Its comfortable, the nurses are *extremely* good at what they do. The process is quick and painless. And we always have a few laughs. I have never had a bad experience. Make sure you drink plenty of water before you donate, and have a well balanced meal before hand. I am so oogey about the needle, that they even set me up then cover everything up so I don't have to see anything. They're accomodating and make the whole thing completely stress free. I would send anyone and everyone to donate on the Bloodmobile. Its the coolest thing around.

My husband is O-neg, and tries to donate regularly. Then we got a call about Power Red, a donation…read morewhere you give double the red blood cells, and the other "stuff" is returned to your body with a little saline added. It takes about 30 minutes longer than a regular whole-blood donation, and my husband said he didn't feel the dehydration he usually does. The ladies who took care of him were just the nicest, friendliest people. We had an enjoyable time during the process (which hubby said did not hurt at all), and went about our day without a hitch. You do have to make an appointment, and things move a bit quicker if you do the Fast Pass online on the morning of your donation. You can do a Power Red about every 4 months. With his O-neg blood type, my husband was told that doing a Power Red was the most beneficial to them. The Red Cross website is very informative, so check it out there first. We will be back in 4 months. Lovely people. (I cannot donate because I have medical issues which prevent it. But I come to cheer him on!)

I had corona back in March and wanted to donate plasma to help out. I live in NYC and was visiting…read moremy parents in CT so I made my first appointment at this center in May. They took me an hour and a half late. The second appointment - I drove an hour to the center in 90 degree weather with a broken AC. I ran in and they took my temp. As someone who is ALWAYS in the 99s, I almost always reach mid 99s on hot days. They took my temp and immediately turned me away without the opportunity to cool down or to try again after a few minutes. I will never waste my time here again. I have always defended the hospitality of the ARC but my experience at this center has definitely cast a shadow on my feelings towards them. Disgusting.

It is an abject hellhole. They seem to actively try to kill anyone on a vent. If the patient is…read morelucky and wakes up, they will then feed them poison instead of healthy food. Almost everything on the tray is white (bread/pasta/rice/SUGAR) and there is high fructose corn syrup in EVERYTHING including the ginger ale. WTF? Ellis Hospital does not provide patients with any ACTUAL FOOD. At least nothing edible. Fresh veg is NEVER provided, rather they serve some dead, frozen veg along with a TINY burger in a HUGE bun (white bread, of course), and the only beverages provided other than water have HFCS in them, same as all of the "desserts". It's as if they actually want their patients to be unhealthy. The basic neglect and unacceptable level of "care" is off the charts. When a bed-ridden patient rings the bell and then has to wait TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES for someone to show up it is unacceptable. I find it difficult to believe Ellis has kept its JCAHO accreditation. According to Google they have it, but I cannot fathom why they still do. This place seems to be at least 20 years behind normal standards. Their doctors do not even carry tablets. They seem to rely on "memory" for everything a patient tells them. I have yet to see even ONE "doctor" write down or log anything. Hell, I have never seen ANY medical "professional" log ANYTHING AT ANY TIME. DO NOT EVER allow ANYONE you love to be sent to Ellis Hospital. You will regret it.

St Peters or Saratoga better choice even Glens Falls. Cant even say they try - from staff to…read morebilling all need improvement !!!