When your company chooses the Tri-County Red Cross for its blood program, it does far more for your community and employees than ensure a safe, healthy and ample blood supply.  The blood drives also support the Red Cross mission to ensure the community's ability to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters.

While all blood banks in our area are non-profits, the American Red Cross the only blood bank that uses the blood program to support other vital programs.  Our blood drives support Red Cross community services such as health and safety training, disaster prevention and response, and armed forces support.

Blood drives offer the Tri-County Red Cross, a primarily volunteer organization funded by local resident and business contributions, the opportunity to meet with and share the Red Cross story with civic minded local residents and workers.  We are able to explain what services we offer to them, recruit new volunteers to provide our services, and make contact at a later date for fundraising opportunities.

When the Tri-County Red Cross responds to a house fire or other disaster, we are able to provide the affected families - perhaps your customers or employees - with shelter, food and clothing right away.  We do not charge affected families for these services.

The people who respond to these fires are volunteers, and often recruited at blood drives in the chapter.  The hotel rooms and materials are funded by donations from local residents, businesses and organizations that are often also part of our blood services programs. 

By hosting a blood drive with the Tri-County Red Cross your company is doing far more than ensuring an adequate blood supply.  You are also providing your employees' families and communities are ready in the event that disaster strikes.  No other blood bank can make that statement.

But only 5% of the United States eligible donors gives in any given year. In New Jersey, only 2.5 percent donate.

The Tri-County Red Cross is dedicating itself to improving that percentage, and ensuring that there is blood available for every day, whether it's for an elective surgery or after a major disaster.

Blood is needed for emergencies and for people who have cancer, blood disorders, sickle cell, anemia and other illnesses. Some people need regular blood transfusions to live.

Please consider hosting a blood drive for your church, at your business or in your community. The more drives we hold, the more blood we collect and the more lives are saved. Call Victor Webb at 908-756-6414 or webbv@usa.redcross.org to learn about donating blood or hosting your own blood drive.

Imagine if giving blood was part of everyone's life. Something you did on a regular basis, like eating at your favorite restaurant. What kind of difference would that make? For nearly 5 million people who receive blood transfusions every year, your donation can make the difference between life and death.