national blood donor month

Goodwill Supports Virginia Blood Services During Blood Donor Month

Did you know?  Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood donation, and one donation can save up to three lives.

January is National Blood Donor Month. Since 2000, Goodwill has partnered with Virginia Blood Services (VBS) to host blood drives for associates at Goodwill’s Richmond Support Center. VBS is a non-profit organization that provides blood products to Virginia hospitals, as well as other non-independent, non-profit regional blood centers.

“Hosting blood drives shows Goodwill cares about the community and supports our mission,” said Sherry Driskill, account manager at VBS who coordinates the VBS blood mobile visits at Goodwill.

These events help boost the local blood supply and raise awareness about the importance of blood donation.

Goodwill hosted two blood drives in 2017. Both times, VBS brought its blood mobile to Goodwill’s offices, where associates were able to make an appointment, fill out paperwork and donate blood in about 30 minutes. “A lot of people want to donate, but they can’t get to a donation center. It’s great that Goodwill gives its employees the opportunity to donate while at work and do something charitable,” said Driskill.

“At its core, Goodwill is about helping the people in the communities we serve,” said Christy Roberson, Goodwill’s vice president of people operations. “We understand giving the precious ‘gift of life’ is important to ensuring the availability of a safe and reliable blood supply to those who need it. Our associates are proud to be a part of VBS’ mission.”

For more information on donating blood, hosting a blood drive or finding a donation center, visit the Virginia Blood Services website.