TEMPE, AZ — Vitalant is offering some new incentives in order to help combat what it is calling a nationwide blood shortage.
Wednesday's Saving Arizona Blood Drive held at Tempe Center for the Arts was a success, according to Vitalant, but the organization says additional donations are still greatly needed.
The recent blood drive collected 582 red blood cell donations. Vitalant says that is enough to fill all the blood needs for the 62 hospitals they serve in Arizona.
The company is also adding some incentives for additional donations through January 13.
Vitalant is offering a free one-day voucher for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, being held February 9-12.
They are also putting donors' names in a drawing for two Super Bowl tickets.
"Changes in how people work, live and play since the start of the pandemic created lasting challenges to maintaining an adequate blood supply," Vitalant said in a statement. "As many people continue to work remotely, blood donations at business-hosted blood drives are down by 50% in 2022 from 2019, a decline of 90,000 donations. Overall, the number of people donating with Vitalant has dropped about 20% in the last three years, while patients’ needs remain strong."
Vitalant operates seven valley donor centers and hosts daily blood drives.
