New York Blood Center opens Bronx donor center in Throggs Neck and urges more donors after 40% donation decline

At the March 10 Community Board 11 meeting, Natasha Chathar, area account manager for the New York Blood Center, announced the organization has opened a donor center in the Throggs Neck shopping area (near Target) and urged community participation to rebuild a depleted blood supply.

Chathar said the Bronx center completes the Blood Center’s presence across the five boroughs and reported that donation volume in the Bronx has fallen by about 40% compared with the pre‑pandemic period. "The pandemic has definitely impacted our blood supply significantly over the years," she said, and added that lower workplace and community drives have reduced collection opportunities.

Chathar described how neighborhoods can help: host local drives, promote scheduled appointments at the donor center, or request the Blood Center’s mobile bus (the bus needs access to clean restrooms and uses roughly the length of four parking spaces). She said the center will coordinate with local partners, including Montefiore and Albert Einstein, and offered tours of the Blood Center’s headquarters and research facilities in Rye, New York.

On eligibility and common questions, the presenter said an 800‑number is available to confirm whether medications or conditions defer donation; the minimum donation age in New York is 16 with parental consent, and donors 17–75 can give without parental consent. The committee also recorded the donor center’s posted hours and address on the record (center hours and location as stated to the board: Monday and Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Tuesday 12:45 p.m.–7:45 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday currently closed; weekend hours 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; address given as 815 Hutchinson River Parkway).

Chathar said the Blood Center would follow up with scheduling details and email materials to the committee; she also asked the board to help promote May blood‑drive dates and to consider hosting drives at community sites.