GLAAD, AMERICA’S BLOOD CENTERS ANNOUNCE “SUMMER OF GIVING” NATIONAL BLOOD DRIVE

COLLABORATION WILL PROMOTE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE FDA’S MOVE TOWARD INDIVIDUAL DONOR ASSESSMENTS

(Wednesday, May 22, 2024 – New York, NY and Washington, DC) – GLAAD, the world’s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, and America’s Blood Centers, the national organization of community-based independent blood centers, today announced the launch the “Summer of Giving” national blood drive campaign.

The initiative aims to encourage businesses to host blood drives and all eligible individuals to donate blood in support of recent FDA eligibility changes that promote fairness and inclusivity in the donation process while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

Those interested in participating can learn more about these changes and find their nearest community blood center at glaad.org/summerofgiving.

The campaign will run from Tuesday, May 28, 2024, through National Blood Donation Day on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, in recognition of the critical need for blood donations during the summer months. Despite the ongoing demand for blood products, donations typically decline during this period due to travel and the lack of school-based blood drives.

“The ‘Summer of Giving’ is a celebration of the LGBTQ community and decades of work to remove the stigma too many potential donors have endured,” said GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis. “Removing discriminatory barriers and following facts and science will ease the critical national blood shortage. LGBTQ donors should be treated the same as any other donor when they walk into their local blood donation center. This campaign sends a long-needed message that LGBTQ people are welcome and can generously contribute to their communities to help save lives.”

“America’s Blood Centers is proud to team up with GLAAD to promote the facts about this new change in blood donor eligibility, which prioritizes the safety of the blood supply while bringing more equality to the donation process. The Summer of Giving campaign is a unique opportunity for individuals and businesses to donate blood and host blood drives in support of a new era of blood donor eligibility. Together, we can help save lives during a time of critical need for the blood community,” said Kate Fry, CEO of America’s Blood Centers.

America’s Blood Centers is the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that supply 60 percent of the nation’s blood supply. Community blood centers have implemented final guidance released by the FDA last year that establishes a blood donor screening process based on individual donor assessments, not sexual orientation. This move follows findings reflected in the ADVANCE Study, the TTIMS monitoring system, and other scientific data assessed by the FDA. All U.S. blood centers are regulated by the FDA and must adhere to donor eligibility policies.

By encouraging members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and younger generations to step forward and donate blood, this campaign will also help diversify the blood supply at a critical time. America’s Blood Centers recently released the U.S. Blood Donation Statistics and Public Messaging Guide, which found a substantial 35.4% decrease in minority donors in 2021 compared to 2019, signifying the urgent need to increase the number of donors across underrepresented minority groups.

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About America’s Blood Centers
Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers. Its member organizations operate more than 600 blood collection sites providing close to 60 percent of the U.S., and a quarter of the Canadian, blood supply. These blood centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities across North America. All ABC U.S. members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit www.AmericasBlood.org.