How to Sponsor a Blood Drive

This is an huge task that you can do if you plan carefully.

Partner up with a Blood Bank or Blood Center in your area

Call up a local chapter of organizations such as the American Red Cross, United Blood Services, or a local organization and tell them you are interested in organizing a blood drive in your community. They’ll be thrilled that people like you are interested.

Find a Location

Once you get a blood center on board, look around a high traffic area in your neighborhood for a space for your blood drive. Places to consider are churches, other places of worship, fire stations, hotel ballrooms, restaurant banquet halls, malls, or the local YMCA.

Pick a Time and Date

Does the date work for the location? Make sure to check that there are nurses and equipment available from the Blood Bank / Blood Center on that day. Remember to consider the day of the week and the time of day that the most people you are trying to donate will be available.

Think About Restrictions

Be sure to tell your donors that they must meet the requirements to give blood. For example, you can give blood at 17 years old or older nationwide, but only certain states allow 16 year olds to donate. Donors under 19 years of age must also meet certain height and weight requirements. If you are hosting a drive in a diverse area, think about providing volunteer translators for those that will need this instruction in another language.

Start Spreading the Word

After planning all this, you will probably receive posters, brochures, and pledge cards from the blood service. Educate your team of volunteers and get to work. Put up posters of your event at cafes, libraries, parks, and malls, but always remember to ask the building’s manager. Let people know online with sites like Facebook or Myspace. Most blood services have websites where blood drives are posted, so make sure yours is included!

Schedule Appointments

People will begin contacting you on-site or on the phone. Have a method of scheduling their appointments based on how many people at a time the blood center has told you to bring in. Get the donors’ phone numbers so you can remind them shortly before the event.

The Day of the Drive

Greet your staff and volunteers, and go over the schedule for the day together. Post arrows and posters telling people where to go: First donors come into the location and fill out a mini medical history. Second, donors meet with a nurse who checks your health and takes a blood sample. Then, donors go to the donation area and a registered nurse starts to collect blood with a new, sterile, disposable, and used only once needle (this process takes about 10-12 minutes).After the donation, provide donors a sitting area and provide drinks and snacks!

Sources:
The Red Cross
United Blood Services

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