(Syracuse, NY – Aug. 2013) The Central New York Chapter of the American Red Cross will host an Open House for the public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the chapter’s new office at 344 W. Genesee St., Syracuse.
A free lunch will be served, and Red Cross volunteers and staff members will be available to meet with residents to discuss Red Cross services throughout the chapter’s five counties (Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Madison and Oswego). Those services include preparing the public for disasters, responding to disasters, offering health and safety classes, hosting blood drives, and providing emergency communication and assistance for members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Visitors are asked to enter through the front entrance at 344 W. Genesee St. Free parking is available by making a right onto Wallace Street, just past the front entrance, and using either the visitor lot to the right or the parking lot on the left at the end of the street.
The Central New York Chapter moved in early June from its old office at 220 Herald Place, Syracuse. By remaining downtown – about one block from the old office – the new office provides a convenient, familiar and easily accessible location for volunteers who provide Red Cross services and Central New York residents who require those services.
“We invite residents from throughout our chapter area to visit our new office, enjoy lunch and learn more about what the Red Cross has to offer,” said Rosie Taravella, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Central New York Region and head of the Central New York Chapter. “We’ll have volunteers and staff members available to answer questions about everything from taking First Aid classes to becoming a volunteer.”
While the amount of space at the old office and new office is about the same (12,000 square feet), the new office is more functional because there’s more room for health and safety classes, and more space for volunteers who respond to house fires and other disasters, train for disasters, hold meetings, and work with residents who need assistance after a disaster.
The new office is also the hub of the American Red Cross Central New York Region, which covers 16 counties. Less than one month after it opened, the new office was utilized as the operation center for the Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts in the initial days after the flooding that devastated parts of Madison, Oneida and Herkimer counties.