American Red Cross of Northwest New Jersey

SPONSOR A BLOOD DRIVE

The Youth Council would like every council member to organize a blood drive in their high school. It is a great way to involve students in your school and to save lives. If another group in your school already hosts one then you do not need to plan another one, simply ask them if you can help, or find another facility in town such as a church, synagogue, or recreational center. Sponsoring a blood drive at your school is an amazing way to show the entire community your commitment to helping others. With your leadership and organizational skills, a blood drive at your school is bound to be a fun, positive, and most importantly a life saving experience. Additionally, organizing a blood drive is a great way to involve all members of your club, as well as involving the student body at large. There are many options when planning a blood drive and room to make each drive as creative and individual as you envision. For example, a blood drive that coincided with Halloween could be promoted with images of vampires. Being that the minimum age for blood donation is 17, high school blood drives have the ability to recruit new, donors and to provide them with an array of new information regarding blood donation, making them donors for life. Most importantly, having a blood drive at your school lets people know that youth do care and are more than capable of providing help.

*Did You Know?*

If you begin donating blood at age 17 and donate every 56 days until you reach 77, you would have given 48 gallons of blood. That is 384 units of blood and that means 1152 lives are saved. Nine out of ten of us will need blood some time in our lives One out of every ten hospital patients requires a transfusion Every few seconds, someone in your own community needs a blood transfusion in order to survive 4.5 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions Every pint of blood donated helps save the lives of about three different people In order to be eligible for donation, you must be at least 17 years of age, weigh a minimum of 120 pounds, be in good general health, and have not donated blood within the past 56 days. It’s important to remember, you need a photo ID and know your social security number. Make sure to eat a meal before donating. We want everyone to have a pleasant experience. The blood donation process takes about an hour, with the actual time of the procedure being only seven to ten minutes.
Plan Your Drive Now!

The first step in hosting a blood drive is to pick a date. Contact Erin Lowe, Blood Services Director, Morristown Office at 973-538-2160 x 202 or elowe@northwestnjredcorss.org with three possible dates. Check your school calendar and avoid conflicts with other major events and school breaks. The spring is the best and most popular time to host a drive because the greatest numbers of students are old enough and available. It’s Easy! You will need about a month to gather materials and advertise your drive so plan ahead. Materials to advertise your drive including posters, flyers and appointment cards can be obtained through the Red Cross Office. Erin Lowe will work directly with you through the whole process. On the day of your blood drive, youth volunteers from your school can help by registering donors and escorting them back to class after donating. Snacks are provided but your club can also supply snack too. A drive lasts approximately 5 ½ hours, with appointments every 15 minutes. It doesn’t take much time to save 3 lives lives! Take Action Now! Call Erin Lowe with any questions and to SCHEDULE THE DATE NOW! Erin Lowe, 973-538-2160 x 202 elowe@northwestnjredcross.org We all have to look out for each other. And with an American needing blood every two seconds, someone needs you to roll up your sleeve now.