Success StoryCommunity Blood Drive



Community Blood Drive

Author: Sarah Drysdale

Planning Unit: Ballard County CES

Major Program: Community Engagement

Plan of Work: Empowering Community & Extension Leaders

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The Ballard County Extension Office partners with the American Red Cross to host community wide blood drives every other month. The normal average donation has been fourteen (14) units over the last year. FCS agent took over as blood program leader to help organize blood drives, recruitment of volunteers and blood donors. The goal is to increase blood donations to an average of twenty (20) units collected within a year. Blood Donation Drives have always been an essential need for local hospitals and clinics; during the COVID-19 pandemic blood donation drives have been critical for local healthcare providers.

In a six-month period, FCS agent has pushed recruiting materials to email distribution lists, mailing lists, reminders of blood drives on social media, and outreach to local businesses to get new and returning donors to roll up their sleeves. Over the last three blood drives, there has been an increase in donations, along with a three percent increase in new donors. Twenty-two (22) units of blood collected in October 2020, thirty (30) units of blood collected in December 2020, and twenty-one (21) units collected in April 2021. Increasing average blood donation to 24.3 units in a six-month period. Blood donation average from April 2020 to April 2021 is twenty (20) units.






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