NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ–New Jersey Blood Services and its parent organization, New York Blood Center (NYBC), declared a “Blood Emergency” on June 15, encouraging the community to donate blood and organize blood drives.

“The blood supply to our communities has reached a critically low level, with under a two-day supply of O negative, B negative, and A negative,” reads a press release issued by the independent agency.

“Current inventory of several blood types is running below the desired target level,” said NJBS, adding they were “asking for help to maintain an adequate supply of all blood types, but especially O-negative – the ‘universal’ blood which can be transfused into anyone in an emergency.”

Blood products have a short shelf life between five and 42 days, making “constant replenishment” necessary says the organization.

“This is one of the toughest times of the year,” said NYBC Executive Director of Donor Recruitment Andrea Cefarelli. “We’re asking for our dedicated supporters to roll up their sleeves to make sure we’re able to provide our hospital partners with whatever they need to take care of their patients.”

Blood and blood products can’t be manufactured, so they can only come from volunteer blood donors who take the time (usually less than an hour) to attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.

The following blood drives are scheduled in Middlesex County:

  • June 19 from 8:00am-12:30pm –  Timothy Christian School (2008 Ethel Road, Piscataway)
  • June 19 from 8:00am-3:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • June 20 from 12:00pm-7:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • June 21 from 2:00pm-9:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street) 
  • June 23 from 1:00pm-7:00pm – South Brunswick Public Works and Utilities Bldg. (540 Ridge Rd., Monmouth Junction)
  • June 24 from 2:00pm-8:00pm – Spotswood VFW Post 4589 (33 Daniel Road, Spotswood)
  • June 24 from 7:45am-2:45pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • June 26 from 8:30am-2:30pm – Highland Park Conservative Temple ‑ CAE (201 South 3rd Ave, Highland Park)
  • June 26 from 8:30am-1:00pm – Neve Shalom of Metuchen (250 Grove Ave, Metuchen) 
  • June 26 from 8:00am-3:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street) 
  • June 27 from 12:00pm-7:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • June 28 frim 1:00 pm-7:00 pm – Plainsboro Library, 9 Van Doren St, Plainsboro 
  • June 28 from 2:00pm-9:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • June 29 from 11:00am-7:00pm – Brunswick Square Mall (755 Route 18 South, East Brunswick)
  • June 29 from 100 pm-7:00pm – IBEW Local 456 (1295 Livingston Ave, North Brunswick)
  • June 30 from 1:30pm-7:30pm – What’s the Scoop (410 Main St, Metuchen) 
  • July 1 from 7:45am-2:45pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 3 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 5 from 2:00pm-9:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 5 from 2:00pm -8:00pm – Skylark Diner (17 Wooding Ave, Edison)
  • July 6 from 2:00pm-8:00pm – Woodbridge Center (250 Woodbridge Center Drive, Woodbridge)
  • July 8 from 7:45am-7:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 9 from 8:00am-2:00pm –  Knights of Columbus Mid. Council 857 (130 Main St., Woodbridge)
  • July 10 from 9:00am-1:30pm – Nativity Lutheran Church, (552 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick)
  • July 10 from 8:00am-3:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street, New Brunswick)
  • July 11 from 1:00 pm -7:00 pm – Jewel of India (999 US 1 South, North Brunswick)
  • July 11 from 12:00pm-7:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 12 from 1:30pm-7:30pm –  What’s the Scoop (410 Main St., Metuchen)
  • July 12 from 2:00pm-9:00pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)
  • July 13 from 2:00pm-8:00pm – Spotswood VFW Post 4589 (33 Daniel Road, Spotswood)
  • July 14 from 1:30pm-7:30pm – United Methodist Church (47 North Main St., Milltown)
  • July 15 from 7:45am-2:45pm – New Brunswick Donor Center (167 New Street)

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual can host a blood drive by contacting the NY Blood Center or NJ Blood Services, which offer “special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during summer months.”

“Hundreds of additional blood drives need to be scheduled to meet projected hospital demand,” says NJ Blood Services.

Among the advantages of blood donations are that the donors receive “free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, blood pressure and hematocrit level.”

Eligible donors must be age 16 or older, who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all state and federal regulations donor criteria.

Those under age 18 must have parental permission or consent, while people over age 75 must have a doctor’s note.

If you cannot donate, NYBC encourages you to ask someone to donate for you, or consider volunteering at a local blood drive.

To schedule an appointment to donate blood, or for information on how to organize a blood drive, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit http://nybloodcenter.org/blood.

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.