St. John’s Riverside Hospital, in partnership with New York Blood Center (NYBC), brought the community together on August 6th for a blood drive that collected 72 lifesaving donations, with the potential to impact 216 lives, during a national blood supply crisis.
The drive came at a critical time as the American Red Cross declared only the second national blood supply crisis in its history, citing critically low donations and worsening shortages of Type O and other blood types. NYBC was also responding to a second blood emergency this summer, as extreme weather and storm-related disruptions contributed to critically low blood inventories across New York and New Jersey. With the nation’s blood supply under extraordinary strain, community donors are more important than ever.
The strong turnout at St. John’s demonstrated the community’s commitment to patients in need. Every donation helps ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, traumatic injuries and other medical emergencies.
The August 6th drive was the third community blood drive hosted by St. John’s in partnership with the NYBC in 2026. Together, the three drives collected 150 donations, with the potential to impact 450 lives. Two were held during blood supply emergencies – one regional and the most recent national – underscoring the importance of St. John’s ongoing partnership with NYBC and the generosity of the community.
St. John’s is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with NYBC, helping support the blood supply needed to care for patients while giving the community an opportunity to make a lifesaving difference.