New York Blood Center in Need of Summer Donations

While many people see the Fourth of July holiday as a time to celebrate, Andrea Cefarelli, the Executive Director of the New York Blood Center, sees it as a time of need. In order to maintain supplies, the NYBC needs approximately 9,000 donations a week. The blood center supplies around 200 local hospitals and currently has a critically low supply of certain blood types.

Cefarelli says donations drop in the summer because schools and other groups are not in session to host blood drives. 

She says this Fourth of July week, they are expecting to receive 3,000 fewer donations than they need.

She says that many people donate right after national tragedies, but the center really needs donations before disaster strikes.

“It’s the lifesavers that line up before the tragedy that their lifesaving gift will already be ready and available at the hospital."

Cefarelli says the best way to help out is to donate blood this July or August, or, if you are unable to donate blood, organize a blood drive.