Community Corner

Nassau, Suffolk Red Cross Chapters to Merge in July

Effective July 1, the Nassau and Suffolk chapters of the American Red Cross will combine to form the American Red Cross on Long Island.

Effective July 1, the Nassau and Suffolk chapters of the American Red Cross will combine to form the American Red Cross on Long Island.

This decision comes in an effort to help both groups more efficient in providing disaster relief services for the Long Island community. The group's main office will be located on Willis Avenue in Mineola, which currently serves as the Nassau Red Cross' headquarters. But the group will still keep supplies and vehicles in Suffolk County to prepare for potential emergencies.

"This new structure allows us better efficiencies, particularly in times of disasters and will further improve our ability to help those in times of need," said John Miller, who will be the organization's new chief executive officer. "By eliminating redundancies and consolidating functions, Red Cross personnel will have more time for mission-related service delivery and financial development."

The American Red Cross on Long Island will be organizing blood drives across both counties. To date, neither chapter has done this on a large scale, though they have been instrumental in supplying blood — from donations of other groups — to L.I. and New York City hospitals.

The Nassau chapter was established in 1917. The Suffolk chapter, headquartered in Yaphank, began in 1922.


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