Overview In 1979, the Rhode Island Blood Center was established by the hospitals in Rhode Island as a private, not for profit agency to collect, test, and distribute blood products. Today, the Rhode Blood Center is a division of New York Blood Center and is among the nation's premium providers of blood products and services and an integral part of the Rhode Island community's health care system. As of December 2018, the Rhode Island Blood Center employs approximately 320 full- and part-time employees. Our employees are committed to the Blood Center's mission of providing a safe and adequate blood for patients within