In honor of Black History Month this February, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors, and especially those who have recovered from COVID-19, to give blood to honor the legacies of African Americans like Dr. Charles Drew and Dr. Jerome Holland.
Drew, an African American surgeon, was the medical director of the first Red Cross blood bank in 1941. Drew’s research about the storage and shipment of blood plasma proved that blood could be stored for transfusions. Many of the processes he developed are still in use today.
As the first African American chair of the Red Cross Board of Governors, Holland was passionate about blood research. His commitment to providing the safest possible blood products for patients in need helped inform many safeguards the Red Cross has in place today to not only protect patients but also blood donors.
Donors have the ability to create a legacy of their own simply by rolling up a sleeve to give blood, platelets or plasma to help patients in need. COVID-19 survivors are especially needed to address a convalescent plasma shortage. These individuals may have antibodies in their plasma that could help patients currently battling the virus.
Blood donation appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. As a thank you for helping ensure a stable blood supply, those who come to give this February will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, courtesy of Amazon. (Restrictions apply. Additional information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)
Inspiring lifesaving action
This gift is made possible by a generous $1 million donation from Amazon, and the Red Cross hopes it will motivate donors to roll up a sleeve to ensure patients continue to have access to lifesaving blood products. During this pandemic, the Red Cross has been fortunate to witness the best of humanity and grateful to partners like Amazon, who have stepped up to help. Amazon’s generous donation will specifically help support the Red Cross efforts to collect a sufficient amount of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 patients as well as support the needs of sickle cell patients by helping to engage the Black community on the importance of giving blood and hosting blood drives.
In addition to Amazon’s financial gift, Amazon has opened their corporate and operations building to host blood drives nationwide. In 2020, Amazon hosted 65 blood drives, collecting nearly 2,000 donations to help save thousands of lives
Important COVID-19 information for donors
The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed COVID-19 symptoms. Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have COVID-19 antibodies and may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood donation collected from COVID-19 survivors that have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus. Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within one to two weeks in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity. The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.
Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities in New Jersey from Feb. 16-28:
CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
American Red Cross Blood Donation Center – Central New Jersey
707 Alexander Road, Suite 302, Princeton Township
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:45 a.m.-8 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)
Thursday: 10 a.m.-6: 15 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 7:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)
Mercer
East Windsor
2/20/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hightstown Elks BPOE 1955, 110 Hickory Corner Road
Princeton
2/22/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., MarketFair Mall, 3535 US Route 1 South
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Middlesex
East Brunswick
2/17/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 303 Dunhams Corner Road
2/16/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., American Legion Post 435, 43 Oakland Avenue
2/21/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Presbyterian Social Center, 270 Woodbridge Avenue
2/27/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Simpson United Methodist Church, 2095 Route 516
Plainsboro
2/22/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, 1 Plainsboro Road
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Monmouth
Colts Neck
2/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Colts Neck Fire Company #1, 123 Route 537
2/24/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road
Tinton Falls
2/18/2021: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, 1540 West Park Avenue
2/25/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, 1540 West Park Avenue
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Ocean
Beach Haven
2/25/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Department, South Bay Avenue
Brick
2/23/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., The Church of the Visitation, 755 Mantoloking Road
Forked River
2/19/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Forked River Community Hall, 101 Route 9
Lakehurst
2/24/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Lakehurst Community Center, 207 Center Street
Long Beach Township
2/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Francis Parish Center, 4700 Long Beach Boulevard
2/25/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Parish, 100 Bishop Way
Toms River
2/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Days Hotel by Wyndham Toms River, 290 Route 37 East
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Somerset
Basking Ridge
2/16/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 140 S. Finley Avenue
2/23/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Clarence Dillon Public Library, 2336 Lamington Road
Hillsborough
2/28/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hillsborough YMCA, 19 E. Mountain Street
Somerville
2/24/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Raritan Valley Lodge #46, 14 North Doughty Avenue
Warren
2/27/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Temple Har Shalom, 104 Mount Horeb Road
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Burlington
Beverly
2/27/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Beverly United Methodist Church, 133 Warren Street
Burlington
2/19/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Optimal Sport Health Club, 3 Terri Lane Suite 1
2/23/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Burlington Masonic Lodge 32 F&AM, 2308 Mount Holly Road
Chesterfield
2/19/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Old York Country Club, 228 Old York Road
Columbus
2/20/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Columbus Baptist Church, 24260 W. Main Street
Fieldsboro
2/17/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Lodge, 103 Dunns Mill Road
Hainesport
2/26/2021: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 910 Marne Highway
2/28/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Maple Shade-Moorestown Masonic Lodge #281 F&AM, 15 North Fellowship Road
Marlton
2/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Kings Grant, 50 Landings Drive
2/25/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Virtua Lippincott Campus, 303 Lippincott Drive
2/19/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Medford United Methodist Church, 2 Hartford Road
2/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community House of Moorestown, 16 East Main Street
2/24/2021: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Lenola Volunteer Fire Company, 225 N. Lenola Road
Mount Holly
2/23/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 121 High Street
Mount Laurel
2/16/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. John Neumann Church, 560 Walton Avenue
2/16/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., First Baptist Church, 216 Sunset Road
Wrightstown
2/16/2021: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Company, 86 Chesterfield Jacobstown Road
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About blood donation
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
For more information, visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
