Blood and Dollars to Aid Haiti

NYBC, Donors Contribute Pints and Points

NEW YORK, March 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York Blood Center (NYBC), serving New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey, has provided a contribution of $76,250, and has joined the "Honor Roll of Life" of US blood centers providing units of blood directly to the Haiti relief effort.

Between January 25 and February 15, blood donors designated more than one million points earned in NYBC's Advantage donor loyalty program, which were then used to make a cash contribution to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.  More than $60,000 was raised from this initiative.  In addition, NYBC contributed a dollar for each blood donation made between January 25 and January 31.

The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 has impacted the lives of thousands of men, women and children, as well as NYBC employees.  Donor specialists Marie-May Denis, Maryse Cherismo, Nadia Vilsaint and Karline Masse, who recently traveled to Haiti, were present for the check presentation to UNICEF on March 18 at the Long Island Blood Services Lake Success Donor Center.

NYBC is a member of a nationwide collective assisting the U.S. Armed Services Blood Program Office (ASBPO) handling the direct blood needs in Haiti.  NYBC has provided 25 units to date, and may provide additional units if needed.  

As many as 2,000 people donate blood each day at NYBC's facilities and mobile drives at workplaces, schools, community organizations and houses of worship.  Current blood supplies remain adequate, but since blood has a relatively short shelf life, blood donors are being encouraged to help keep the system robust.  Type O-negative and Rh-negative blood donors are especially needed.

To donate blood, please call:

Toll Free:  1-800-933-2566

Visit:  www.nybloodcenter.org

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive.  NYBC also offers special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during the winter holiday and summer periods.  Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and hemoglobin level.  Eligible donors include those people at least age 16 (with parental permission or consent), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health, and meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY or NJ State Department of Health donor criteria.  People age 76 and over may donate with a doctor's note.

About New York Blood Center:  

New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to almost 200 hospitals, serving 20 million people, in greater New York since 1964. 

NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. 

NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals along with consultative services in transfusion medicine.

About UNICEF:

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress -- the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 24,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

Contact:  Leslie Gonzalez

[email protected]

(212) 570-3304  Office

(646) 342-3038  Mobile

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SOURCE New York Blood Center