Danville Church Congregations Team Up For Interfaith Blood Drive

DANVILLE, CA — Although local health officials have constantly stressed the need for residents to maintain a safe distance as the coronavirus pandemic continues, two Danville-area churches recently proved that a little collaboration can make a big difference in a life-saving mission.

Danville’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church recently teamed up to sponsor a blood drive at a time when donations are needed in an effort to provide blood to those who need it most. After the American Red Cross provided equipment needed for the drive as well as phlebotomist staff for the blood drive earlier this month, the churches provided their own contributions to the interfaith effort.

The Danville LDS church offered up its gymnasium on Old Orchard Drive as a space to host the drive to ensure that proper social distancing guidelines were maintained. Volunteers from both churches worked together in a collaborative effort to help recruit blood donors and provide support to Red Cross staff throughout the day-long event.

In an effort to keep the event safe, face-covering requirements were strictly adhered to as were social distancing and sanitation rules. In total, 55 blood donors participated in the drive and donated 49 units of blood, which organizers said can potentially save up to 147 lives.

The two local church congregations share a commitment to community service and mission, which makes the pairing a good match, church leaders said. The blood drive is the second effort the churches have teamed up for after working together to provide personal hygiene kits for local residents and those community members who also do not have permanent homes.

“We’re so glad to be in another service venture with the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints,” Kim Risedorph, the lead pastor at the United Methodist Church said in a news release.