Blood donors in Pierce and south King County will soon notice a big change in the bloodmobiles where they donate.

Cascade Regional Blood Services announced that it 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 donors who cannot come to one of the organization’s 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, Cascade Regional Blood Services 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, Cascade president/CEO. “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.”

Cascade Regional Blood Services 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 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. The Federal Way blood center is located at 909 S. 336th St., Suite B-102.

For more information about Cascade, to support the blood center or to find a blood drive near you, visit www.crbs.net or call 1-877-24-BLOOD.