Blood Drive Planning Guide

Blood Drive Planning GuideYour guide to building a successful high school blood drive program

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

MOSTAFAblood donor

HOPE begins with you.

HOPE begins with you. | HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

You can make a difference! Did you know that up to 20 percent of the blood collected by the American Red Cross comes from young donors like you? High school students make a big contribution to the community through hosting blood drives and donating blood.

Hosting a blood drive is a form of community service and is a great way to educate students about how easy it is to help others. By encouraging students to join a blood drive committee, you will feel great about helping save lives!

This guide outlines how to build a successful blood drive program, which will help make your school’s blood drive a huge success!

On behalf of the patients and their families whose lives you will touch, thank you!

Did you know there is no substitute for blood?

The only source for transfusion is volunteer blood donors!

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Put your plans in place!Your Red Cross account manager will provide support, answer questions and work closely with you to plan the details of your blood drive (date, time, location, goal, etc.).

As the student coordinator, you will oversee all of the blood drive committees.

Begin developing committees:

Recruitment Committee

Promotional Committee

Volunteer Committee

It all starts with a leader!

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Recruitment Committee The recruitment committee will be the largest committee and should be a good representation of your student body. It’s recommended that you have one recruiter for every 25 students. Find recruiters who enjoy talking to people and know how to get others excited about the blood drive!

A few recruitment strategies:

• Keep the principal and faculty members involved and ask for their help.

• Recruit by personally asking face to face. This is the best way to recruit blood donors!

• Become familiar with basic donor eligibility requirements. Your account manager will share this information with you. You can also find it at redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements.

• Make the blood drive open to the public and invite parents, people from the community, etc. (with school administration approval).

• Conduct educational presentations in classrooms and during assemblies to tell students why donating is important. Find students or teachers who have been personally impacted by blood donation to help explain how donating blood helps others. Your account manager can help you prepare.

• Set up sign-up tables in the cafeteria, hallways, lobby and any other place where students hang out.

• Sign up donors for your next drive while they are waiting to complete their health history and in the refreshment area.

Recruitment committee chairperson and members:

Recruitment ideas:

Target to-do dates:

Assign committee members to each task:

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Recruitment Committee

Here are important reminders for high school blood donors.

• Show your donor card or ID at the blood drive.

• Show your parental consent form, if applicable.

• Save time by completing your pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online on the day of your donation by visiting redcrossblood.org/RapidPass from the convenience of a mobile device or computer.

• Get at least eight hours of sleep the night before you donate.

• Eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids before you donate.

• Help maintain healthy iron levels by eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet containing foods rich in iron and high in vitamin C. Examples include red meat, poultry, seafood, beans, spinach, raisins and broccoli.

• Taking a multivitamin with iron can help replenish iron after you donate. Talk with your parents or healthcare provider about whether it’s right for you.

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Whatever your reason for donating, the need is constant and your

contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply.


Promotional Committee The promotional committee should be the most creative students! They will create a theme and come up with a plan to publicize the drive.

A few promotional strategies:

• Start to promote the blood drive at least five weeks out.

• Set up a competition between another school or between classes or clubs within your own school.

• Create a fun theme!

• Hang posters everywhere!

• Involve your school mascot! Pass out blood drive fliers at sporting events.

• Make announcements periodically leading up to the drive.

Promotional committee chairperson and members:

Publicity ideas:

Theme ideas:

Target to-do dates:

Assign committee members to each task:

Use social media to publicize the date, time and location of the blood drive.

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Volunteer Committee The volunteer committee will be your go-to committee on the day of the blood drive. They will make sure everything goes smoothly! Find student volunteers to help with registration, the donation area, refreshment area, loading and unloading, and donor scheduling.

Volunteer committee chairperson and members:

Registration Volunteers:

Identify two to three volunteers to work at registration at all times. Duties include:

• Arrive at the blood drive 30 minutes prior to the start.

• Welcome donors and help them get signed in.

• Ensure donors brought an acceptable form of identification and proof of age. Find information at redcrossblood.org/students/donating-101/what-do-i-need-know.

• During the week 7 sponsor planning meeting, make arrangements for a school official or adult volunteer to determine donors’ identity and date of birth using a yearbook or a printed list of eligible donors, if necessary. If you have questions about donor identification, ask the Red Cross staff.

• Manage a back-up schedule of donors and assign runners (responsible for escorting students from class to the blood drive).

Assign committee members to registration tasks:

Donation Area Volunteers:

Identify three to six volunteers to help with the donation area at all times. Duties include:

• Walk donors from the donation area to the refreshment area.

• Ensure only those who need to be present at the blood drive are in the donation area.

• Provide moral support and talk with donors.

Assign committee members to donation area tasks:

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Refreshment Area Volunteers:

Identify two to three volunteers to help with the refreshment area at all times. Duties include:

• Encourage donors to remain in the refreshment area for at least 15 minutes.

• Encourage donors to drink fluids and have a snack.

• Thank donors for their donation and encourage them to make their next donation appointment.

• Keep tables clean and stocked with refreshments.

• Ensure students return to class in a timely manner.

• Provide moral support and talk with donors.

• Alert the Red Cross staff if a donor says they are not feeling well.

Assign committee members to refreshment area tasks:

Donor Safety Information for Volunteers: • Be alert and attentive and notify Red Cross staff if a donor needs help.

• If a donor is feeling restless, has pale skin, is dizzy or nauseated, alert the Red Cross staff.

What to do should this happen: • Remain calm and call for help.

• Stay with the donor.

• Stand next to the donor if they are sitting or ask them to lay down if they are standing. Don’t attempt to walk the donor to a chair or recovery bed alone.

• Discourage the donor from leaving the blood drive alone.

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Loading and Unloading Volunteers: These volunteers will need to be available approximately one hour prior to the drive start time as well as one hour after the drive closes. Duties include:

• Be able to lift up to 40 pounds (supplies, donor beds, work stands, etc.).

• Ensure the doors are unlocked and that Red Cross staff have access to the blood drive area.

• Help Red Cross staff set up equipment, tables and chairs.

Assign committee members to loading and unloading tasks:

Donor Schedule Volunteers:

• Manage appointment cards.

• Distribute and manage hall passes.

• Distribute copies of the donor schedule as requested by faculty or staff.

Assign committee members to donor schedule tasks:

These volunteers should ensure all donors have an appointment time

using the schedule provided by the Red Cross.

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Blood Drive Day! It’s go time!

Red Cross staff will arrive prior to the start of the blood drive. Please make sure someone is there to meet the Red Cross staff to unlock the building for them. Your Red Cross account manager will provide the approximate arrival time to mark below.

Additional tasks for the student coordinator on the day of the blood drive:

• Introduce Red Cross staff to the appropriate school administration and student volunteers.

• If there is a separate break area for Red Cross staff and volunteers, be sure to show Red Cross staff where that area is located.

• Ensure student volunteers are comfortable with their assignments.

• Provide a copy of your appointment schedule to the Red Cross staff member in charge and to registration volunteers.

• If you have an opening in the donor appointment schedule, it’s not too late to recruit someone to fill in!

• Display clearly marked signs to indicate the blood drive location to donors.

Important day-of contacts:

Time Red Cross will arrive:

High school staff member and/or student coordinator greeting Red Cross staff:

Congratulations! Today is the day all your work will pay off!

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After the Blood Drive

Your account manager will provide you with the blood drive results. There are a few additional tasks that should be completed as soon as possible after the drive.

Additional tasks for the student coordinator/committees immediately after the blood drive:

• Post your school’s blood drive results as soon as possible. Let everyone know how it went!

• Thank your donors. Send an email or thank you notes and be sure to let donors know when the next blood drive will be.

• Thank your committee members. A word from the principal or an advisor will let your team know their efforts were appreciated.

• Be sure to take down all publicity materials and blood drive signs.

• Ask your committee members for feedback about what went well, what could use improvements and for ideas that can be used for the next blood drive.

• Your Red Cross account manager will review the drive with you.

• Confirm your next blood drive.

Assign committee members to help with tasks after the blood drive:

Blood drive results:

Committee members’ feedback:

Your next Red Cross blood drive:

Drum roll... You did it! Congratulations on helping save lives!

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There are many other ways you can get involved with the American Red Cross while you are in high school!The American Red Cross offers a range of leadership opportunities for high school students.These programs help develop leadership and planning skills and offer students a practical way to give back to their community. Check out these programs to learn how you can help save even more lives!

Start a Red Cross Club at your school today! Learn more at redcrossyouth.org.

Sign up to host a Leaders Save Lives blood drive at redcrossblood.org/LeadersSaveLives.*Rewards contingent upon achieving 25 pints at the blood drive and other requirements.

Engage with your local Red Cross through mission-related projects to deliver lifesaving services.

Red Cross Clubs

Host a summer or winter blood drive while school is out of session to help ensure a safe blood supply.

Leaders Save LivesOpportunity to win a scholarship*

Gift card awards*

Volunteer hours

Program Rewards

Recognition for Club members’ achievements

Volunteer hours

Service learning

College and career skills

Program Rewards

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Blood Drive Planning Guide

Documents

Transcript of Blood Drive Planning Guide