Cherry Hill Sun

Tag: Pennsauken

  • Red Cross donation center opens in Delran

    Kathy Chang/The Sun

    The American Red Cross cut the ribbon on its fourth donation center, located in Delran, on March 11, with state Sen. Troy Singleton, Assemblyman Roy Frieman, donors and Red Cross volunteers and employees on hand.

    Kathy Chang/The Sun

    The new Red Cross donation center is collecting blood and platelet donations for patients, such as those battling cancer, accident victims, transplant recipients and those with sickle cell disease.

    The statistics are jarring: Every two seconds, somebody in the U.S. needs blood.

    “Donated blood is perishable,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO of American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and platelets only five days, so they must constantly be replenished.”

    Now interested donors have a new fixed site to donate. The American Red Cross cut the ribbon on its fourth donation center, located in Delran, on March 11, with state Sen. Troy Singleton, Assemblyman Roy Frieman, donors and Red Cross volunteers and employees on hand.

    The new site joins Pennsauken, Princeton and Fairfield donation centers in the state. It is collecting blood and platelet donations for patients, such as those battling cancer, accident victims, transplant recipients and those with sickle cell disease.

    “As a national network, the Red Cross has a unique responsibility to help ensure blood is available for patients whenever and wherever is needed,” Taravella explained. “Eligible donors can feel good knowing that donating through Red Cross, they may be helping patients not only in the community, but also their family and friends across the nation.

    “One in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion …” she added. “That’s a lot. So every day, volunteer donors roll up their sleeves at Red Cross Blood drives to help save the lives of people with life-threatening injuries from complicated child births, cancer and sickle cell disease.”

    Taravella noted that March is Red Cross Month, an observance that began more than 80 years ago. She also stressed that the organization and its work is powered by “90% volunteers.”

    Feiman recalled that when he turned into the new Delran location, he thought he had the wrong directions.

    “I pulled into a shopping center,” he recounted of his thoughts. ” … This is not where blood centers are located. I thought it was wonderful … to set up a blood center right here where people come. How convenient it is, easy to park.

    “From our standpoint from the legislature, it is so nice to be able to see the budget resolution and what we fight for … to actually come about, because it takes time.”

    Feiman praised the site’s thoughtful ambience, from a welcoming intake area to televisions on the beds for long plasma donations. He likened it to being able to “eat cookies” after trips to Disney World.

    “This is a magical place … it’s the only place where you can actually eat cookies and not feel bad, in fact, you are encouraged to eat cookies,” he quipped.

    Singleton thanked all the volunteers for their time.

    “We have to remind everyone we can’t manufacture blood,” he pointed out. “The supply of blood is strictly from those of us willing to donate our blood, and because we can’t manufacture it, we realize how important it is and how it changes lives.”

    For Red Cross Month, the organization will perform free A1C testing (commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes) on successful blood and platelet donations made through Monday, March 31. Those who give this month will get a $10 Amazon gift card by email. More details can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/March.  

    In addition to the Delran Blood Donation Center, individuals can continue to give blood at Red Cross blood drives across New Jersey. The organization will hold a free community day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Holy Cross Prep, 5035 U.S. 130. Visitors will learn about Red Cross services from disaster response, blood donations to life- skills training.

    The new donation center is located at 5029 U.S. 130, Suite 450, in Delran and will be open four days a week. Hours are:

    • Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Thursday: 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
    • Saturday: 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • ‘Part of one family’

    Special to The Sun
    Several members of Muslim nonprofits and organizations around South Jersey came together to plan the second annual South Jersey Muslim Heritage Month Festival last month.

    The second annual South Jersey Muslim Heritage Month Festival organized by the Muslim Heritage Month Coalition of New Jersey was just one of several events across the region that celebrated the meaning of January.

    Held at Eden Gardens Banquet in Pennsauken, the festival saw thousands of people treated to an international bazaar, global cuisine, cultural performances and more.

    “It was such an incredible experience having the community come out, whether they were Muslim or non-Muslim, to support the Muslim community, which was extremely heartwarming,” said festival co-organizer Anam Raja.

    “Whether you’ve been in this country for generations or you’ve been in this country for just a few years, the roots of Muslims in this country go deep,” noted festival co-organizer Asma Kasuba. “As Muslims, we consider ourselves to be part of one family … Whether it’s Muslim or European Muslim or Middle Eastern … it’s all part of our shared history, and that’s what we really wanted to emphasize.”

    Gov. Phil Murphy signed a proclamation designating January as Muslim Heritage Month in 2023. Townships across New Jersey that have done so include Moorestown, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Evesham, Mount Laurel, Haddonfield and Pennsauken. The state has one of the highest percentages of Muslim residents in the country, and according to the website for the Heritage Month Coalition, Murphy emphasized that the designation is a recognition of the rich histories, cultures and principles of Muslim Americans, highlighting their roles in sectors such as patriotism, philanthropy, advocacy, civic engagement and culture.

    “You may or may not already know that you know a Muslim person and that you’re working with them and eating with them, and some of the myths and propaganda that is sometimes more media driven isn’t true,” said festival co-organizer Aysha Hasan. “Sometimes that’s more of a political aspect in nature than it is a faith-based or heritage background of commentary, and so we want to show that we’ve been here since Christopher Columbus’s age …

    “There’s so much that we have contributed, but a lot of people don’t know because it’s been overshadowed by other things,” she added. “We want everyone to know that we will continue to have a positive contribution to society as we have had in the past.”

    Christine Harkinson/The Sun
    The festival saw thousands of people treated to an international bazaar featuring global cuisine, cultural performances, jewelry and garments.

    Additional statewide Muslim Heritage Month events included the Central Jersey Muslim Heritage Month Festival in Edison, the Muslim Heritage Month Celebration open house in Newark and the Muslim Heritage Month Committee of New Jersey’s cultural expo in Teaneck, all events that featured vendors, bazaars, art exhibitions and more.

    The second annual South Jersey Muslim Heritage Month Festival featured cuisine from all different parts of the world, jewelry, garments, Ramadan decorations, books, children’s accessories and custom-made pieces. There were also prayers, performances, a Tanoura dance and children’s programs. The festival was an event that had help from lots of hands, including youth.

    “This event is building for our new generation,” explained festival co-organizer Tasama Soltan. “If you could see how many young volunteers there were … they’re learning how they can create these events, how they can work together, not only with the Muslim community, they can work with other communities …

    “They are proud of themselves,” Soltan added. “They are in … We’re trying to help them to get more involved and look forward to a better future together.”

    Other festival co-organizers include Sameen Butt, Sarah Bernardo, Shehla Hasan, Sofia Basar, Sonia Uppal, Sumaiyya Asim, Quadsia Niaz, Anuum Baig, Aliaa Moktar, Aya Salem, Lena Sidiqqi, Maiada Ramadan and Mahreen Syed. All the organizers thanked leadership at the local and state levels for their support in attending the event.

    The Muslim Heritage Month Coalition aims to inspire a legacy of unity, cultural exchange and appreciation that transcends boundaries and promotes a shared sense of belonging among all New Jersey residents. Several of the co-organizers are from different Muslim organizations, including the Moorestown Muslims, the Mount Laurel Muslim Association and Marlton Muslim Families, among others, and some didn’t know each other before planning the festival.

    “We wanted everybody to be a part of it, so we could also advocate for our own townships, we could support local initiatives and Muslim-owned businesses, and just simply learn and share knowledge with everybody,” Bernardo said of the festival.

    “I think that was, for me, one of the things that really hit it off and I was happy to be a part of it.”

    If you’re interested in donating to future Muslim Heritage Month events, visit www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-muslim-heritage-month.