Scotch Plains Will Soon Be Home to New Blood Center

Scotch Plains will soon be the home to a new community blood center.

The New York Blood Center (NYBC) has announced that it will be opening a blood donation center at 2279 South Ave. in September. The site will be more than just a place to give platelets, though. It’ll also be an art gallery.

NYBC’s Marie Forrestal told Patch on Monday that the blood center will rotate art exhibits from New Jersey artists every couple of months. The hope, she said, is that the Scotch Plains location will become a go-to destination for area residents.

“This is new, trying to make it a destination and community hub, and not just a blood center,” she said.

On Aug. 10, the center will host a sneak preview event, in which area residents can stop by and take a look at the new facilities and even donate if they choose. Anyone interested in donating on that day should call 800-933-BLOOD.

Forrestal said that Scotch Plains was the perfect place for the blood center because Union County has the highest concentration of blood donors in the state. A site across from the Fanwood Train Station, and another in Westfield, were also considered, but Forrestal said the South Avenue location afforded them with a lot more parking.

In addition to hosting work from area artists, the blood center will have another local touch: the donation room will be named in honor of Fanwood resident and longtime Blood Center volunteer Bob Sommerich. Forrestal said that Sommerich has recruited over 600 platelet donors during his time with them.

“He’s made it his life mission to get people to donate platelets,” she said.

Forrestal said the new blood center doesn’t mean that New York Blood Center will stop holding drives in the area.

“It’s not that we’ll be completely giving up those blood drives, but donors do find it more comfortable sometimes to go to donor centers, and donors can give more frequently this way,” she said.

The Scotch Plains center will initially be open three or four days a week and will be able to accommodate around 100 donors a day.

For more information on the New York Blood Center, go here.