John Bendall owner of Re/Max Classic Group asks for your help with New Jersey’s Blood shortage.

The state of New Jersey has created the New Jersey Blood Bank Task Force to deal with the current shortage of blood in our state.  There will be a month long effort to increase the number of units of blood donated.   New Jersey suffers from not only a blood shortage, but also a shortage of donations.  Hospitals will be joining the effort in order to provide locations for blood donation and to increase donations in hospital donor rooms.

Blood donation is higher during the summer and slows down during the holidays, but suffers a significant dip just after the new year.  Since the winter is a challenging time for blood donation January has been named National Volunteer Blood donor month.  This year make it one of your resolutions to give blood as often as you can, throughout the year. It’s easy to do and it is a gift that will make you feel great.

According to a recent article in the Courier News "Every single day, there is a critical need for blood, and the statistics are compelling," said Susan Caden, program and service coordinator with the American Red Cross of Greater Somerset County. "Nationwide, 65 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, but only 5 percent do. And here in New Jersey less than 2.5 percent of all eligible donors actually give blood. Someone in our county needs blood every two seconds. Nine out of 10 people who live in New Jersey will need blood at least once in their lives."

Many of you who know me personally know that I have a blood condition that excludes me from donating blood.  It is for this reason that I do everything I can to encourage others to donate.  So if you are able to give blood, go out there and do it, for those of us who can’t and more importantly for those who need it!

The following are a couple of upcoming drives.

January 18^th  8 am – 1:30 pm Bernardsville High School
25 Olcott Avenue, Bernardsville

January 20^th 8 am – 1 pm Mary Mother of God
South Triangle Road, Hillsborough

January 23^rd 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,
214 Church St., Bound Brook

January 26^th 10 am – 3 pm Pelican Ski, Pool, & Patio
3554 Route 22 E., Whitehouse

January 31^st 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm United Methodist Church, Neshanic

February 3^rd 8 am – 2 pm St. James Church
184 South Finley Ave., Basking Ridge

February 7^th 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm Somerset  County Library
1 Vogt Dr., Bridgewater

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