Donating Blood May Be the Simplest Way to Save Lives

“Red Cross declares an emergency blood shortage, as number of donors hits 20-year low…”

“Every country in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia has a significant blood shortage…”

It is statements like these that, while somber, continuously drive Zebras around the world to show up – and sit down – at blood donation centers every day. We know that it doesn’t take much for the blood supply to flip from “abundant” to “absent” in any given country, city, or clinical setting. So, we show that we understand the criticality of maintaining the blood supply by contributing to it…a lot.

Zebra employees in the state of New York recently donated blood for the 10,000^th time!

According to Melissa Gatto from the New York Blood Center (NYBC), every single pint donated has the potential to save three lives:

“Due to the blood drives Zebra Technologies has run since 2002, over 30,000 lives have been positively affected. Hospitals such as New York Presbyterian, Northwell, Catholic Health Services and NYU Langone depend on these donations, and I know that they, as well as the New York Blood Center are so grateful for every single blood drive Zebra has run.”

Apparently, Zebra is the first company to cross this milestone with NYBC through collective employee donations, but we sure hope we’re not the only company to stake this claim.

This is such a simple way to help our friends, neighbors, colleagues, partners, customers, and community members – all of whom uplift and protect us each day through, even when we don’t patently notice. It’s something you could do this afternoon, or on your lunch break. You may not need to travel far, either. Many blood banks will come to you.

In fact, Zebra hosts blood drives quite often because they are so simple to coordinate with local blood banks and organizations like the Red Cross. We hosted at least three drives in three different offices in the last six months alone! We also notice blood donation centers popping up daily in our communities – both brick-and-mortar and bus-based centers. Healthcare providers have made it so easy for us to pop in, prop our feet up, and give a pint.

So, we hope that we reach our next 10,000 donations in New York twice as fast, and that we can get you to join us in multiplying our collective global donations in the coming months. If you’re not sure where to give blood in your area, this is a good place to look.

And if you’re not sure what to expect when donating blood and want to put your mind at ease, click here.