Red Cross makes ‘tentative decision’ to cut 230 jobs

Red Cross makes ‘tentative decision’ to cut 230 jobs

The American Red Cross offers services from a tent after a series of tornadoes. Photo via wikimedia.org

The American Red Cross has made a "tentative decision" to limit its operations and cut 230 jobs in West Michigan and across the state.

Starting in November, the Red Cross would limit “mainly mobile blood drives” and eliminate associated jobs in the Grand Rapids area, Muskegon and Kalamazoo, as well as Lansing, Petoskey and Flint, according to Chris Hrouda, president of the nonprofit’s biomedical services, today.

Hrouda did not say what would cause the "decision" to become definite — or be scrapped.

“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,” Hrouda said.

He said the move would allow the organization to focus on areas that would provide better resources to communities.

Hrouda added that the nonprofit’s leaders would “deeply regret” any job cuts and would help affected employees find new jobs.

The Red Cross would continue to collect blood donations at its two fixed sites in Lansing and Flint, as well as in its Southeast Michigan Blood Services Region in the Detroit area.

It would also continue providing services in Michigan, including blood products, disaster preparedness and response, military and veteran services and health and safety trainings.

In Michigan, the Red Cross has responded to more than 2,200 disasters and mobilized nearly 6,000 volunteers during the 2018 fiscal year.