Community Organizations, Businesses and Schools Needed to Host Blood Drives

The American Red Cross needs the help of community organizations, businesses and schools across the country to host much-needed Red Cross blood drives to ensure a strong blood supply in the weeks and months ahead. Blood drive hosts are essential to the mission critical service of blood collection, providing familiar facilities and convenient places for individuals to roll up a sleeve in local towns and nearby neighborhoods.

Between March and June of 2020, school and business closures to slow the spread of the coronavirus resulted in cancellation of 37,000 blood drives and hundreds of thousands of donation appointments.

School blood drives normally make up about 20% of Red Cross blood collections, and provide the most diverse blood collection, which is important to ensuring every hospital patient gets the lifesaving blood they need. With many schools beginning the year virtually and others limiting those onsite, the Red Cross needs new blood drive hosts to help us resourcefully and flexibly protect patient care.

We are all in this together. The challenges of COVID-19 continue, and community organizations, businesses and schools are needed to help those most vulnerable among us have access to lifesaving blood products.

Take the first step today here –

• Host a blood drive. The Red Cross will provide tools and tips to make your blood drive a successful event, and we’re certain you’ll find service rewarding during these trying times.
• Donate a site* for blood drives. The Red Cross can send healthy donors seeking a convenient place to donate to your blood drive location.
  

The need for blood is constant. In the weeks and months ahead, the Red Cross needs blood drive hosts to help ensure blood products are readily available for patients in need.

Blood Drive Safety during COVID-19

It’s important to emphasize that each Red Cross blood drive follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. To ensure the health of blood drive hosts, donors and staff, precautions include:

• Checking temperatures of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy.
• Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process.
• Following social distancing between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas.
• Ensuring face masks or coverings are worn by both staff and donors.
• Routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas. 
• Wearing gloves and changing gloves often.
• Using sterile collection sets and an aseptic scrub for every donation.

Rest assured, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all involved in our blood drive operations.

*A suitable drive location typically consists of a first-floor or easy access, temperature-controlled site with 800 sq. ft. or more, with ample electrical, wi-fi, and access to load/unload equipment.