In this episode of "Hub City Now" host Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. interviewed Caitlin Roach, marketing manager of LIFELINE Blood Services.

Roach spoke about the lack of blood donors and the dire need for blood not only in West Tennessee but across the nation.

LIFELINE Blood Services currently has mobile units go out to 20 different counties. They serve all of West Tennessee except for Shelby and Tipton and across the river for Houston and Humphreys County.  The organization gives blood products to 17 hospitals in 14 air ambulance service areas. In those counties, it is the sole provider of blood.

Roach also spoke about the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC) is composed of blood centers from across the nation that have committed to collecting extra blood units on a rotating, “on call” schedule. The extra blood products will be held in reserve for any critical-need scenario, like a mass shooting or natural disaster.

January's Week 2 schedule for LIFELINE Blood Services was shared and questions were answered about who can and can't give blood.

LIFELINE is in dire, dire need of donors. Its numbers are down in ways people who have worked there for decades have never seen. If there is anything you can do that goes beyond what you normally do for them, please let them know. They need new donors and lapsed donors to come save lives!

To learn more about LIFELINE Blood Services, call 731.427.4431 or visit lifelinebloodserv.org.

In this episode of “Hub City Now with Tyrone Tony Reed Jr.,” the host spoke to Mehr Mansuri, Nancy Ewing and Sue St. Clair.

Mansuri, St. Clair and Ewing spoke about The Kids with a Cause: Children’s Theatre Company's full musical showcase featuring musical highlights of The Lorax (about trees and habitat) and Rescue Me: A Musical History of Women, will be presented by children and youth of Jackson at the NED Cultural Arts Center, Saturday, March 30th at 7 p.m., free charge; and a community service project at the ComeUnity Cafe Garden next door to the NED. Thr showcase is in celebration of Earth Day and Women’s History Month.

“Our goal is to showcase the children and youth of Jackson as the voices of positive change and agents of healing in their communities,” said Eric Dozier, Music Director/ Director of Equity & Outreach of Children’s Theatre Company.

In honor of Earth Day, the evening will feature highlights from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax  adapted by Lory Lazarus and Frank Sanchez and directed by award-winning Jackson choreographer, Veronica Sesson. Also being celebrated is Women’s History Month with highlights of the hit show, Rescue Me: A Musical History of Women by Dorothy Marcic.

Rescue Me is a review of the lyrics and music of the Top 40 songs by women from the blues to disco.  Nadia Beard, the NED resident director and choreographer, will be directing. “While bringing generations together, children, parents and their grandparents will relish the music, tap their feet and dance in their seats,” said Nadia Beard.

“My heart has been touched by the mission and performances of this unique theater company featuring kids reciting some of the wisest words ever uttered that is all the more stirring when proclaimed by young voices. I urge everyone to come and take part and fill the house and your heart at the NED!” said Matt Marshall, President of United Way of West Tennessee.

We are so grateful to Mayor Conger and our national partners, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wayfarer Foundation, and the Baha’i Office of Education & Schools, and our amazing local partners, including, AKA Sorority, Keep Jackson Beautiful; the NAACP; United Way of West TN and the Society of African American Cultural Awareness – SAACA, Historic First Baptist Church,” said Mehr Mansuri, Executive Artistic Director.