“Sickle cell awareness is very important to the Black community, and we want our fellow students to be educated, not only about the disease, but also about the need for blood donations for patients who have it.” 

“You never know what kind of situation you may be in. I never imagined that I would save the life of a student during my lunch duty, but I did because the situation presented itself. I am thankful that I reacted the way I did and knew how to help her.” 

“The American Red Cross could not exist without teamwork, and I think that’s why you’ll come across many veterans in the Red Cross.” 

Every blood donor has a story. For Jennifer Tripp of New Hampshire, that story started with fear of blood, but led to a lifelong commitment to saving lives. 

This April, that commitment paid off in a surprising way. Jennifer was one of three lucky nationwide winners to receive a $5,000 gift card from the Red Cross. It was part of the April giveaway. Anyone who came in to donate blood or platelets during the month was automatically entered for a chance to win.