The New York Mets and New York Blood Center have partnered up to offer those who donate their blood a limited edition Mets T-shirt and, from July 4-7, a voucher for two tickets to a Mets game.
The voucher and T-shirt promotion, which runs now through July 7, is taking place at each of the 19 New York Blood Center donor locations and mobile blood drive locations across New York City.
“We are so grateful to the New York Mets for stepping up to the plate to help us maintain the blood supply during the critical summer months with this fun seasonal campaign for New Yorkers,” New York Blood Center Senior Vice President Andrea Cefarelli said. “We hope this partnership inspires folks to donate blood, bring a friend and support the home team this summer. Blood donations are needed now more than ever!”
The Mets and New York Blood Center have frequently collaborated for blood drives. Through these 39 blood drives held by the Mets, which have encouraged donations during some of the most critical times for the blood supply, over 16,000 donations have been received over this partnership spanning multiple decades.
The New York Blood Center cites summer months as being one of the most difficult times of the year for the blood supply. Among the contributing factors to this are seasonal travel and school breaks, making fewer potential donors available, and increases in traumatic accidents this time of year, which puts a strain on the blood supply.
Earlier in June, the New York Blood Center declared a blood emergency. As of June 20, the Center said there was only a three-day supply of O—and B—blood, which is less than half the ideal seven-day inventory. As a result, there is an urgent need for more blood donors to replenish the region’s fragile blood supply.
Blood donors can donate once every 56 days, while platelet donors can give twice monthly. The Food and Drug Administration recently lifted several blood donor eligibility restrictions, allowing more people to give blood. To view current eligibility guidelines, visit nybc.org or call 1-800-688-0900.
Founded in 1964, the New York Blood Center has grown to become one of the largest non-profit, independent, community blood centers in the world. Together with its partner organizations, the Blood Bank of Delmarva, the Community Blood Center of Kansas City, the Connecticut Blood Center, Memorial Blood Centers, the Nebraska Community Blood Bank, and the Rhode Island Blood Center, approximately 4,000 units of blood products are collected each day to serve communities approaching 50 million people in the tri-state area, the mid-Atlantic area, Kansas City metropolitan area, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island and southern New England.
The New York Blood Center delivers lifesaving blood products and services, as well as clinical, medical, pharmaceutical, testing, and consultative services, to more than 600 hospitals and dozens of research organizations, academic institutions, and biomedical companies in the state.
Interested donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybc.org to find their nearest donor center and make an appointment. Those who are not be able to donate blood but still want to support the New York Blood Center’s mission can do so by texting “NYBC” to 20222 to give $25.
