Manteno Chamber of Commerce will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Thursday, May 14 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm at the Leo Hassett Community Center in Manteno.
“The Manteno Chamber of Commerce is committed to strengthening our community and helping meet hospital and patient needs through blood donations,” said Sarah Marion, President & CEO. “This blood drive is our way of giving our community an opportunity to help save lives.”
Blood is a perishable product that can only come from volunteer blood donors. With someone in the U.S. needing blood every two seconds, blood products must be constantly replenished, according to the Red Cross.
“We need people to start turning out in force to give blood,” says Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, as fear about the coronavirus is keeping people from wanting to donate blood. “You can still go out and give blood. We’re worried about potential blood shortages in the future. Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement.”
For more information or to make an appointment to donate, call 1-800–733-2767 or sign up online at www.redcrossblood.org with sponsor code mantenococ.