Apply to Host a LifeShare Blood Drive
WHY IT MATTERS
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Every drive makes a difference
Hosting a blood drive is a unique and rewarding way to give back to your community while meeting new people and sharing the gift of life. Someone, somewhere, needs life-saving blood products every two seconds. When you host a blood drive, you’re impacting hundreds of lives in your community at a time; in fact, 80% of our annual blood collections come from mobile drives!
Blood drives promote public health, engage the community, and make blood donation accessible to potential donors who might not give otherwise. Keep the local blood supply flowing by partnering with LifeShare to host a community blood drive in Louisiana, Arkansas, or Texas!
HOW IT WORKS
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Interested in hosting a drive?
Plan a blood drive with the help of LifeShare in Texas, Louisiana, or Arkansas. Hosting a blood drive will involve proper planning and some effort on your part. However, the rewards in terms of lives impacted are worth the effort! Bringing together a large group of donors during a blood drive increases the chances that multiple blood types will be available when needed. It also helps raise awareness of the need for a continuous blood supply and can result in more consistent donations within a community.
Your Account Manager will work with you to schedule, plan, and promote your blood drive to make it as successful as possible. Use an available space at your location to host the blood drive, such as a conference room, gymnasium, and similar inside locations; or, we can bring our mobile donor coach to you! You’ll receive custom marketing materials and your donors will receive access to easily make appointments online. Our team is available to share materials and tips with you as you plan your drive.
DRIVE CHAIR TOOLKIT
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Already hosting a blood drive?
Excellent! The Drive Chair Toolkit is your one-stop-shop for being a stellar host. This toolkit contains a checklist to guide you through the planning phase, a sign-in sheet to use the day of the blood drive, and plenty of additional tools and information to give to potential donors about the need for blood and how to have a quick and easy donation experience.
SPONSOR A REPLENISHMENT
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Know someone who is using, or has used, blood products?
LifeShare’s Replenishment Program allows donors to give blood on behalf of someone who is using, has used, or will use blood products. Although the blood does not go directly to the beneficiary in the form a transfusion, it helps by offsetting some of the associated costs of blood products. Additionally, the program helps restore the community blood supply so products are available to local patients.
Only the blood that already has been donated, tested, and processed is available for transfusion to patients. Often, patients’ friends and family members want to help replace the blood used by a patient. Your LifeShare Account Manager will help you plan a replenishment blood drive.
TIPS FOR HOSTING
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Prepare for a successful blood drive!
A successful blood drive will have an enthusiastic leader (Drive Chair) and volunetter team, a convenient location, great organization, and a sense of fun and excitement. Community outreach is also essential, including asking for donations in person and appealing to first-time donors. Encourage potential donors to make appointments and use Donor Pass the day of their appointment to make the donation process easier and faster.
Your Account Manager will provide everything you need from start to finish to host a successful blood drive. Below are a few tips to guide you through the hosting process. You can also reference the Drive Chair Toolkit for additional resources.
Set a Goal
Identify those in your group who are interested in donating blood to determine a goal for your drive. Accurate goal projections help us plan enough staff, equipment, and supplies for your blood drive.
Plan & Promote
Along with your LifeShare Account Manager, begin working on the details of your drive. Use the checklist in your toolkit to help with planning and use marketing materials provided by us to let others know how they can donate at your blood drive.
Help Donors Sign Up
Reach out to interested donors and have them sign up for an appointment time. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are always welcome.
Give as a Group
Donating as a group can make the experience more fun and exciting! Brainstorm with your team ways to make your blood drive even more fun and engaging. A little friendly competition always helps amp up the fun.
Show Your Appreciation
LifeShare will provide a gift of appreciation for all donors but the best way to thank donors who take time to impact lives is to simply be present to thank them and share how much their donation means to you.
Let Us Help
If you have any questions during the planning process, your LifeShare Account Manager is ready to guide you and give you everything you need to ensure a successful blood drive.
LEARN MORE
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Blood Drive FAQs
Still have questions about hosting a blood drive? Find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions below.
Can anyone organize a blood drive?
We partner with businesses, schools, and other organizations in our community that are dedicated to having regular blood drives.
What does it take to organize a blood drive?
Passion, time, and commitment to impacting your community are important factors. Good organizational skills and a willingness to reach out to various people are also important.
How many donors have to sign up before I can have a blood drive?
Due to last-minute cancellations, no-shows, and people who are ineligible to donate, you'll need to have at least one-third or more of your total goal committed to donating.
Why do I have to sign up people to give blood before the drive?
While walk-ins are always welcome, signing up people ahead of time helps us ensure enough staff, supplies, and equipment will be available for the blood drive. Also, people who sign up ahead of time are more likely to actually show up on the day of the blood drive as they will receive a reminder text from us. Encourage potential donors to visit our FAQs page for answers to many common questions about blood donation.
How far in advance do I have to schedule a blood drive?
The more time you allow to get the word out about your blood drive, the better. But the general rule of thumb is about 2 months.
Should I have an indoor blood drive or use the mobile donor coach?
If you have enough space indoors for a busy and successful blood drive, that would be wonderful. However, for those without enough indoor space, you can arrange to use a mobile donor coach. Your LifeShare Account Manager can help you decide which option is best.
Can I organize blood drives at a donor center?
Yes! Please contact your local LifeShare location for more details.
To learn more, or to arrange your blood drive, contact the representive at the LifeShare location nearest you: