Blood donors in Pierce and South King Counties will soon notice a big change in the bloodmobiles where they donate. Cascade Regional Blood Services is proud to announce that it has raised enough money from grants and other financial gifts to refurbish and rewrap its entire bloodmobile fleet.

Bloodmobiles play a vital role in the community’s blood supply by helping to make blood donations convenient and easy for our donors who cannot come to one of our donor centers.  Nearly 60 percent of the supply is collected at community-sponsored blood drives and bloodmobiles make this possible. Known for its blue buses with children on the side, CRBS has decided to go with a whole new look for its bloodmobiles.

“We wanted a modern look that better reflected Cascade Regional Blood Services,” said Christine Swinehart, president/CEO of CRBS. “We are so grateful to our community for its support—both in blood donations and financial contributions. We could not fulfill our mission without it.”

CRBS began fundraising for its Get on the Bus project in 2013 in an effort to secure the funds to refurbish its fleet of bloodmobiles and purchase a new bus. By the end of 2014, the nonprofit blood center had raised enough to begin the refurbishment. Cascade continues to fundraise for the purchase of a new bloodmobile and plans to secure enough funds to make the purchase in early 2016.

Cascade Regional Blood Services is a nonprofit community resource that has supplied blood to MultiCare Health System and CHI Franciscan Health hospitals and clinics since 1946. For more information about CRBS, to support the blood center, or to find a blood drive near you, visit www.crbs.net or call 1-877-24-BLOOD.