Bloodworks Northwest seeks to boost local supply with high school blood drives

COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Bloodworks Northwest held a blood drive at Cottage Grove High School on Tuesday morning in an effort to help boost their local blood supply.

The drive, held on October 17, drew about 20 students in before noon to donate blood. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, high school blood drives accounted for about 25% of all donations but the figure now accounts for 8%.

“It’s been teetering between emergency level and critical level just because our appointment slots are not filling up as fast as we’d like and so it’s with the holidays with the summer season ending (that) I don’t think people realize that we have to keep are blood filled at all times,” said Jordan Hardman, a community engagement liaison for Bloodworks Northwest.

Hardman also said that about 6,500 appointments need to be filled by the end of this month, which means about 1,000 donors are still needed to keep blood supplies at good levels. This is particularly critical as the holidays approach, when fewer people donate.

“Pre-pandemic the high school has accounted for 25 percent of our blood supply and post pandemic it’s at 8 percent,” Hardman said. “So it’s really important to start kids early and (help them become) knowledgeable about donating blood and that’ what our high school drives are all about.”

Bloodworks Northwest is available to host blood drives at high schools throughout Oregon and Washington. The organization tries to do donation drives at least once a month during the fall season but can do twice a week if high schools are up for it. Donors must be at least 16 years old, Hardman said.

More information can be found on Bloodworks Northwest’s website.