Region's Largest 'Interfaith' Blood Collection Effort Underway

BAY AREA, CA -- The American Red Cross announces the sixth annual Interfaith Community Blood Drive, the largest, single blood collection effort in the history of the Northern California Blood Services Region. More than 25 Bay Area faith groups combine efforts to respond to the summer blood need with a monthlong blood collection effort.

Comprised of more than 40 individual blood drives, the event helps to bolster the community blood supply during the summer months which can be among the most challenging times of the year for blood donations.

“The Interfaith Community Blood Drive has cemented its integral role in supporting the local blood supply during the summer months when the number of blood donations tends to drop,” said Neil Tosuntikool, donor recruitment director of the Red Cross Northern California Blood Services Region. “Giving blood at one of the Interfaith Community Blood Drives locations will help ensure a sufficient supply of blood is available this summer.”

The drive brings together a number of religious groups with a common goal – to help others. Since its inception, the Interfaith Community Blood Drive has collected a total of more than 11,000 pints of blood. With an ambitious goal of collecting more than 1,700 blood donations this year, the commitment made by the participating faith groups is to help collect nearly 100 percent of the blood needed in July for the Red Cross Northern California Blood Services Region.

Interfaith Community Blood Drive donation opportunities in Santa Clara County:

Gilroy
July 14 from 1 to 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 8455 Wren Ave.

Los Altos
July 8 from noon to 6 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1300 Grant Road

Morgan Hill
July 21 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 16870 Murphy Ave.
July 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Catherine of Alexandria, 17400 Peak Ave.

San Jose
July 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Good Samaritan Hospital, 2425 Samaritan Drive
July 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of Almaden, 6581 Camden Ave.

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Participating American Red Cross Blood Donation Center:

San Jose Blood Donation Center
2731 N. First St.
San Jose, CA 95134
Blood donation hoursMonday: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Tuesday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.Friday – Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Blood donation appointments can be scheduled by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

About donating blood or platelets
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required when checking in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), 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 donors can now 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, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

• ALSO SEE: Summer Blood Donations Needed: Where To Give Around Santa Clara County

--News submitted from the American Red Cross/Image via Shutterstock