Red Cross to cut mobile blood drives; 230 jobs lost

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — More than 200 people are losing their jobs after the American Red Cross has decided to limit its operations in Michigan.

Starting in November, the American Red Cross said it be will limiting its operations, mainly mobile blood drives. It will affect the Great Lakes Blood Service Region, which includes Lansing, Muskegon, Petoskey, Flint, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids/Kentwood.

The organization says the changes will have no impact on the availability of its blood products in the state. They will continue to collect blood donations at their locations in Flint, Lansing and in the metro Detroit area.

The American Red Cross said around 230 employees will be losing their jobs due to the decision to limit operations.

“This decision is in response to a continued industry-wide decline in the demand for blood products and the need for consolidation of operations to ensure we can deliver cost-effective and reliable products and services for patients in need,” President of the American Red Cross Biomedical Services Chris Hrouda said in a statement.

Hrouda said the organization will continue to provide to blood products, disaster response, services to military members and its health and safety trainings in the state.

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