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American Red Cross

4.3 (27 reviews)
Closed 7:30 am - 3:45 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Services - American Red Cross

Community Service/Non-Profit

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Incompetency of needle handling by Red Cross Staff at Tremont St.
Satoe S.

I have given blood numerous times before with no complications, but two days ago I experienced the most incompetent lady there. The southeast asian lady must have been new since I haven't seen her before, but as soon as she inserted the needle, a shock of pain went down my arm to my fingertips. I've never felt pain like that. Clearly I was in a lot of pain, but she still asked 'Does it hurt?' as she moved the needle around. I looked over and blood was spilling onto the arm of the chair. She kept saying that my blood was pumping too slow and would continuously wiggle the needle in my arm. I understand that this was my choice to give, but I am writing this review and adding pictures because no one should go through the lack of competency by the red cross staff when donating like I had to. I replaced my bandaid yesterday and took it off today, but I really hope Red Cross will reconsider their training and for the people reading, know that this is the risk you are facing when donating blood. I cannot straighten my arm without feeling a jolt of pain in my fingers. I'm hoping it's just the bruise that is pushing against the nerve. It's unfortunate because I really do like giving blood, but after this traumatic experience, I doubt I will ever be able to go back.

Erin E.

I love this American Red Cross center. Don't worry, I'll give you more detail than that, but I just wanted to get the obvious out of the way. First, be warned that this is NOT a regular blood donation center. They do not accept whole blood donations--which are the most common kind of donation where they just take a pint of your blood without separating anything out. They only collect plasma, platelets, and double red cells at this center. Second, be prepared to commit possibly two hours to each appointment, depending on which procedure you're doing. It takes about 30-45 minutes to complete the interview/checkup followed by hooking you up to the machines. I donate platelets, which takes me about an hour to complete (most people say it takes them about 1.5 hours to do this one). Plasma takes about the same amount of time, and the double red cell collection is the fastest at under an hour. Third, you may experience some bizarre effects during the process. Not painful or queasy feelings, just odd. When you donate platelets, they add an anti-coagulant to the blood that's put back in your body so no clots form while the platelets/plasma are extracted. The anti-coagulant makes me tingle all over and leaves a taste in my mouth that reminds me of visits to the dentist. The effects wear off pretty quickly once you're up and about again. That's all for the informational seminar. Now the fun stuff! The staff here is wonderful. They started recognizing me after my first visit and always seem happy to see me (and my platelets). They make you as comfortable as possible and respond immediately to any questions or problems you have. And they're very funny. Another thing I like about donating: free food and drink! You get your pick of sodas and juices along with whatever you want from the big basket o' snacks (which used to contain full-size candy, but now carries chips/cookies/pretzels/crackers exclusively due to budget cuts). Oh, and the staff opens all bottles and bags for you. And you can have however much you want! During the procedure you get to relax in very comfy Lay-Z-Boy recliners with heating pads. It tends to be cold in there (to keep the donations fresh, I suppose), but that's okay because they give you blankets fresh from a heating oven made especially for...blankets. There are also warming packs available for your hands if they get cold, like mine tend to do. I usually read during my donations, but you have the option of plugging into some headphones and watching DirectTV during your stay. All in all, it's definitely the cushiest set up available for making a huge difference to people in need in Boston. You can donate platelets every 2 weeks. I'm not sure about the frequency for plasma or double red cells as I only donate platelets (since my blood type, A+, is the universal donor for platelets). The bottom line: become a regular donor, get to know the incredible staff, eat some yummy free food, watch some TV, and save lives. It's that simple.

Temp place for red cross
Marsha W.

The people are so awesome here. I wish I knew their names, but they are constantly there on the weekends when we stop by. My sister is a constant donor, so I'm sure she knows their name, but this place is great just for the people alone. They are so gracious for your donation, and makes you feel really great just being there. They also valet your parking ticket if you park next door. This place is a temporary holding ground for them while they get their center up and running, but that doesn't get this staff down as they are able to make a good thing out of anything. I have heard one time they had someone new do the needle and while my sister is a great test subject to do training, I would have been a bit squeamish. Make sure you tell them you would not like to be tested on if that is the case with you.

Snack central! In a totally fair trade, you can give blood/platelets/plasma for free snacks. Hello Oreos!!

This is a Red Cross center where you can donate blood, plasma, and platelets. The staff is super sweet and they recognize you quickly after your first donation. I've been giving here since 2015 and have yet to have a bad needle experience. They also have tons of blankets (warmed in an over like environment), heating pads, tums (in case you get the shakes/nausea) and snacks/juice post-donation. The chairs for platelet/plasma donation are all equipped with TVs containing Netflix and other apps for you to watch during donation. The center is kept cold bc of all the products so wear warm cloths and don't be afraid to ask for more blankets or a heating pad - they'll happily provide! Hot tip - have them put a blanket under you before you start to stay extra warm.

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11 years ago

Tony, Maria, and their entire staff will take good care of you. Whole blood, platelet apheresis, or double red, they're the best! Enjoy!

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Review Highlights - American Red Cross

I donate whole blood and the whole process takes an hour from checking in to finish.

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American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay Food Pantry - They have a plate showing what people are getting each pick up day

American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay Food Pantry

(4 reviews)

If you're looking to work hard as a volunteer, the American Red Cross Food Pantry is the place…read more Especially on days when they're distributing food to clients. I was here on a Wednesday morning. Including the other group of volunteers (that my group didn't know) I'd say there were about 25 of us. So if you're looking for a big group activity, distribution day is your ticket. And for the the 4ish hours that we were there, I think we were busy about 98% of the time.. which for those frequent volunteers out there.. isn't always the case on site. Just a little background, the food pantry is in Roxbury. Easily reachable by T or tons of buses. From their website, it says their clients include "senior citizen immigrants, single parents, families in transition, low-income families, homeless individuals, and those living with HIV." Those that qualify can come in for groceries once a month if they meet the USDA guidelines. They must present an ID for each member of the household. Being curious, I checked the USDA website and interestingly enough, post college and pre - full time job I could have qualified for food assistance. Hmm.. We arrived around 8 AM and the day started off with packing "wet bags". Those coming in for food get a wet bag (veggies/salad/etc.), a dry bag (cereal/pasta/Slim Jims/etc), a can bag (more veggies/tomato sauce/etc), and a protein (that day it was beef and whole turkeys for families of 2 or more). Families with babies may also qualify for baby food but everyone pretty much gets the same thing. Later on, I was in the distributing line. Clients check in to the computer and then they come over with a laminated card stating how many family members they have. So of course, the more family members.. the more bags. It can get a bit hectic and it takes some coordination but you get the hang of it. After 12PM, is lock down. Things get put away and the place gets a good sweeping. It was a very interesting experience. The people walking in didn't seem like they needed "assistance". It was generally a diverse population with mostly minorities but they weren't dressed in a certain way, a few had cars, and one guy was listening to an iPod. One of the coordinators said that people would come in and say that they just lost their job earlier that week or this little bit of groceries is what gets them by. Many come every month without fail. In these difficult times, I can definitely see how a few days of groceries can make all the difference. Especially for a family. The coordinators said they saw a record number of people this Thanksgiving. We actually served 400 people that day (and that doesn't include the 1-9+ family members they were picking up food for). So as you can see, every hour of your time can make a world of difference. You can volunteer by yourself or with a group. OR you can run a food drive at your school or job. See the website for details and contacts.

Wow! I had a GREAT volunteer experience here. I went on a Wednesday morning from 8:30a-12 with…read moreBoston Cares. It's (the Red Cross Food Pantry) one of the most efficiently run, friendly, "helping" organizations I've seen. They get the people in and out QUICKLY, and with bags of NICE, QUALITY foods, not just some old beat up cans and a bag of beans. The Red Cross Staff is wonderful, and they will have something for you to do- be it helping to distribute bags of groceries, assisting with line control, packing bags, etc. They begin ON TIME, and end ON TIME If you need assistance, this is also a GREAT place to come. Not a lot of hassle, just basic stuff to be sure you need services, you're treated with friendliness and dignity, and as mentioned, you don't get crapola, you get GOOD, healthy food. In order to feed as many people as possible, you can only come once a month. 5 STARS! BRAVO, Red Cross!

Women's Lunch Place - Advocates will assist with legal services, housing applications, professional development, and more.

Women's Lunch Place

(5 reviews)

Back Bay

There are just so many good things to say about this place that I'm not sure where to start…read more First, it is not a "shelter" in the typical sense of the word, and the staff and guests do not refer to it as a "shelter". They consider themselves a "community", and act as such. There are NO lines for anything at the WLP. The women are served their meals at their tables by volunteers, and their materials are bussed for them once they are done, unless they choose to self-bus. The food. Oh heavens! WLP prides itself on serving nourishing, FRESH food. Each meal will have all nutritional requirements met, and there is always a veggie option. We're not talking canned goods or sandwiches here, folks. No, this is chopped and diced fresh veggies, prime cut meats, the finest ingredients. If you're a good cook and after you've volunteered a few times, they are happy to let you get in the kitchen and help whip up stuff. The resident chef there, Gina, is wonderfully creative in the kitchen (and very nice), and from time to time, other professional chefs from local restaurants come in to put together a meal. The WLP isn't jsut a food place, although that's the highlight of the day. It also provides the women with full time advocacy support to help with finding housing, food, or other services. There is a computer room/resource room that the ladies may use. There is also a nap room where women can go to get sometimes some much needed rest, and also a quiet room for just some peace, solitude, and maybe reading or reflecting. Women are also able to get various toiletries and clothing that they may need. They may do their laundry and take showers. The Program Manager, Heather (also very, very nice and competent) has done a great job of making sure that there are interesting activities for guests if they choose to participate: yoga, painting, field trips, knitting, etc. Since the WLP is run as a "community", the staff are INCREDIBLY patient with the women, and if a guest is being disorderly or breaking a rule, she is not immediately tossed out, but is counseled and given more than one opportunity to redeem herself by correcting her behavior. Throwing someone out is a last option at the WLP. WLP treats its volunteers as the valuable commodity we are. We are appreciated, thanked, and made to feel a part of the "team". Added Perk: They also have really incredible volunteer thank you events! I enjoy volunteering here. I learn something new and meet new people each time I go. I don't have a lot of spare time to volunteer, but when I do, the WLP gets me all the time, every time. It's important to know that this place could not be so great without us- the community at large supporting it through donations, volunteering, contributions, etc. The staff, Regina, Linda, Joanna, Lauren, Linnie, and Cheryl are terrific- go meet them! This is just a wonderful, wonderful place. You will not leave here without your heart being touched in some way.

Just to add to the great review by Adrienne -- The Women's…read moreLunch Place is an amazing community run by dedicated and caring people. I've volunteered there many times, and the experience was wonderful. The staff is as open, kind and welcoming to volunteers as they are to their ladies. The ladies? Wow. Having the opportunity to really get to know some of the women in this community is a real blessing. The WLP is one of my favorite volunteer opportunities. Try it out!

American Red Cross - nonprofit - Updated May 2026

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