The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization providing disaster relief, blood donation services, health and safety training, and emergency assistance. This page aggregates shopper ratings and reviews of their services, offering insights into customer experiences across Red Cross locations and programs.
American Red Cross Reviews
What Shoppers Say About American Red Cross
The American Red Cross receives largely negative feedback across its operations. Reviewers report significant frustrations with blood donation policies that they describe as overly strict and inconsistent, with people being turned away on technical grounds despite stated blood shortages. Operational issues are frequently mentioned, including long wait times, disorganized scheduling, appointment cancellations without notice, and redundant intake procedures that duplicate online registration efforts. Additional complaints address inadequate disaster relief response, poor staff demeanor during donations, and difficulties obtaining certification documentation after paying for training courses.
A small portion of reviewers rate the organization more favorably, though the overall sentiment is one of disappointment with how the organization executes its humanitarian mission. Common themes suggest systemic problems with internal processes, staff training, and policy implementation rather than isolated incidents. Shoppers express particular frustration that policies and procedures seem misaligned with the organization's stated mission of helping people and saving lives.
Customer Reviews (15)
Sorted by: Most recentI'd give them zero stars if the system allowed it. A fire destroyed my apartment a couple years back and I barely escaped with my roommate. Once we got to a hotel and I could use a phone, I called Red Cross right away needing clothes, toiletries, and assistance rebuilding. Their response? They acted shocked that I was calling a few days after losing everything, like that was unreasonable. I didn't have access to a phone or any money until then. Their attitude was terrible and they were absolutely useless in helping us.
It's better to give blood directly to your community hospital so they don't need to buy from this organization. A huge chunk of their donations ends up funding expanded call centers and generous executive compensation packages. Their donor recruitment approach crosses the line into harassment, constantly pushing for more blood or monetary gifts. Plenty of other charities do better work with donor funds.
Consider giving blood directly to your local hospital instead so they don't have to purchase it from this organization. Too much of the donated money goes toward expanding their call centers and paying inflated executive salaries. Their approach to recruiting donors is aggressive and pushy, pushing people to give both blood and money. There are much better charitable options available.
This organization is a genuine nonprofit with real charitable impact, unlike some highly publicized charities on online review sites that don't hold up to scrutiny. They've earned their reputation through genuine work. Five stars is the right rating.