Did you know that it takes a red blood cell less than a minute to circulate your entire body? Or that you can still donate blood even if you got a tattoo or a piercing within the year, as long as it was done professionally? According to findings by the Red Cross, blood donation is an effective way to help patients of all ages, including cancer patients, burn victims, or those affected by chronic diseases. In fact, one single donation can result in 4 different people receiving blood, per Miss Lembo, teacher of Mathematics and Family, Career, Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) adviser.

Since 2008, Morris Hills has conducted a blood drive each year under the supervision of Miss. Lembo. The blood drive usually takes place in late October or early November with a theme connected to Breast Cancer awareness, and to date, Morris Hills has had almost 500 donations of blood. Each year, Miss Lembo and FCCLA partner with New York Blood Center, a nonprofit blood bank, with the goal of getting at least 40 donations from the Morris Hills community—participants must be at least 16 with parental permission, and at least 110 lbs, in order to donate blood.

In an interview, Miss Lembo noted that Covid has dampened turnout to the blood drives. She is concerned with the fact that no more than 20 people annually have participated in the drives, which significantly misses the New York Blood Center’s 40 person target. “It’s not worth their [the blood center’s] while to come here if they don’t get 40 donations,” explains Miss Lembo. Next year, Morris Hills will be partnering with the Red Cross to facilitate donations, and volunteers will still help market the drive in the announcements, but hitting the 40 person target will continue to be one of the school’s priorities.

For more details on the blood donation process, or to check if you are eligible, see the Red Cross’s guidelines by visiting their website at https://www.redcrossblood.org/.