Planning a Successful American Red Cross Blood Drive:

A Coordinator’s Guide

____________________________________________________________________ Red Cross account manager

____________________________________________________________________ Phone Email

Table of contents

Blood drive planning guide 3

Managingconfidentialdonorinformation 8

Using the blood drive management system on redcrossblood.org 10

Planning at a glance 11

Common objections and how to respond 12

Frequently asked questions 13

Tipsforasuccessfulblooddrive 14

More ways to help 15

Notes page 16

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Welcome!

Thank you for hosting an American Red Cross blood drive. When you coordinate a blood drive, you join the Red Cross family and become part of something much bigger than yourself. Through your efforts, volunteer blood donors will help save patients’ lives.

The enclosed information will help you through the process of planning your blood drive. We will work closely together to discuss the specifics of your drive, provide support and answer your questions. I want you to be as successful as possible, so if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Blood drive coordinator Bev with her daughter, Kim, and granddaughter, Sanai.

Bev has been a Red Cross blood drive coordinator and blood donorfornearly30years.Herdaughter,Kim,isalivetoseeherowndaughtergrowbecausesevenunitsofbloodwereavailablewhenshebeganhemorrhagingafterSanai’sbirth.Bevhelpsensureblood is available when patients need it.

Why is hosting a blood drive so important?

• Ablooddriveisacommitmenttohelpingmeettheneedsofseriouslyillorinjuredpatients.

• Meetingyourblooddrivegoaliscriticallyimportantbecausepatientsarecountingonthebloodwehavecommitted to collect.

• Bloodproductsareessentialforthetreatmentofaccidentvictims,surgicalandsicklecelldiseasepatients,thosereceivingcancertreatments,prematurebabiesandothers.

• EverydayintheU.S.,roughly41,000blooddonationsareneeded.Thatmeansnearlyeverytwosecondssomeone needs blood.

• Everydonationmayhelpsaveuptothreelives.

• It’ssimple:Thereisnosubstituteforblood.

What is your role as a blood drive coordinator?

• Tohelpsavelives!

• Toserveastheconnectionbetweenyourcompany,organization,schoolorcommunityandtheRedCross, whilealsogainingsupportfromyourgroup’sleadership.

• Togetpeopleexcitedaboutyourblooddriveandaskthemtojoinyourteam.

• TospreadthewordaboutblooddonationinpersonandthroughtheuseofRedCrossmaterialsandmessaging.

• Toaskpeopletogiveblood.

Using social media:

WorkwithyourRedCrossaccountmanagerforideasonhowtopublicizeyourdriveusingsocialmedia.

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Blood drive planning

Getting started: Twelve to ten weeks before the drive

Verify your blood drive goal:

Tomeetpatientneeds,youandyourRedCrossaccountmanagerwilldeterminearealisticnumberofpintstocollect.Yourgoalwillhelpusdeterminetheresourcesneededforyourdrive.

Verify your date and time:

Reconfirmthescheduleddateandtimeoftheblooddrive.DiscussanyfactorsthatmayimpactyoursuccesswithyourRedCrossaccountmanager(shiftschedules,internalevents,etc.).

Verify the site:

Verifytheblooddrivesitewillbe:

• Clean,comfortableandinviting;heatedorcooledinadvancetoensuredonorcomfort;andwelllit.

• Largeenoughtoprovideadequateconfidentiality.

• Easilyaccessibletodonors,withampleparkingandrestroomsavailable.

• AccessibletoRedCrossstaffforequipmentloading/unloadingwithadequateparking.

Please be sure to:

• Refrainfromanyconstruction/renovation/abatementworknearbyonthedayoftheblooddrivethatmightcause unpleasant odors or sounds.

• Avoidusinganychemicalproducts(cleaningproducts,paint,floorwaxes,etc.)thatmaycreateirritatingvaporsthatmaylingerduringtheblooddrive.Ifsuchchemicalshavebeenused,pleaseensurethetypesofchemicalsusedaredisclosedpriortothedrive.

• Pleaseensureheating,ventilationorairconditioningcanmaintainacomfortabletemperature.Donorswhoareuncomfortablycoldmayhaveahardertimegivingasuccessfuldonationwhiledonorswhoareuncomfortablyhotmaybemorelikelytoexperienceheadache,nauseaorfaintingafterdonating.

Use of donor giveaway items:

Donorgiveawayitemsareencouraged.PleasetalkwithyourRedCrossaccountmanageraboutanyplansforofferingincentives,giveawaysordrawingsatyourblooddrive.Allincentives(giveaways,drawings,etc.)shouldbeapprovedbytheAmericanRedCrossbeforetheyareadvertisedforyourblooddrive.

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Building a winning team: Six to four weeks before the drive

Form a recruitment team.

Recruitmentteammemberscanhelpwiththesetasks:

• Publicizingthedrive.

• Recruitingandschedulingdonors.

• Recruitingvolunteerstohelpthedayofthedrive.

• Assistingattheblooddrive.

It’srecommendedthatyouhaveonerecruiterforevery25peopleyouneedtoasktodonateblood.Recruitersshouldbeoutgoingindividualswhoarecomfortableaskingpeopletodonateblood.Recruitersshouldbeavailableaboutfourweekspriortotheblooddrive.

Remembertoincludeseniorleadershipandinfluentialcommunitymembersonyourteam.Theseindividualsmaybesomeofthemostmotivatingrecruiters.

Recruit volunteers.

Thesizeofyourdrivewillhelpdeterminethenumberofvolunteersneeded.Volunteeropportunitiesinclude:

Helping with setup

• Beavailableaboutonehourpriortothedrivestarttimeorasdesignated.

• Beabletoliftupto40pounds(supplies,donorbeds,workstands,etc.).

• Beavailableforonehouraftertheblooddriveclosesorasdesignated.

Greeting donors

(Training provided on site)

• Beavailable15minutespriortothestartoftheblooddrive.

• Welcomedonors.

• Maintaindonorsign-insheetand/orappointmentlog.

• Callscheduleddonorswhodonotshowtoremindthemoftheirappointments.

Assisting donors in the refreshment area

(Training provided on site)

• Beavailable15minutespriortothestartoftheblooddrive.

• Servefoodanddrinkstodonorsaftertheirdonation.

• ReportanysignsofadonornotfeelingwelltoRedCrossstaff.

• Thankdonorsfortheirdonationandencouragethemtomaketheirnext donation appointment.

Getting the word out: Three weeks to one day before the drive

Ask donors to make a blood donation appointment.

There are many ways that you can ask donors to make a blood donation appointment. We recommend using a combinationofthemethodsbelow.

1. Ask them face-to-face.Mostpeoplewhohaven’tgivenbloodsayit’sbecausetheyhaveneverbeenaskedtodonate.Face-to-facecontactishardertoobjecttothanothertypesandprovidesanopportunitytoaddressspecificquestionsandbrieflyeducatethedonoronthedonationprocess.

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2. Call donors and potential donors.Ifyourorganizationhashostedblooddrivesbefore,yourRedCrossaccountmanagercanprovideyouwithalistofphonenumbersofeligibledonorswhohavegivenatyourlocation in the past.

3.Send emails. The blood drive management system on redcrossblood.org allows you to send email invitationsforyourblooddrive.SeethereferencematerialonPage10.

4.Share with your social networks. Post your drive details on Facebook and Twitter to reach people you may not otherwise be able to contact.

5.Post publicly.Distributeblooddriveannouncementmaterialsthroughouttheorganizationorcommunity.Discussboththeobviousplacesandthenot-so-obviousplacestoputpromotionalmaterials.Justremembertobecreative.Sendaletter,memo,emailorannouncementfromseniorleadership.Postanarticleinyourorganization’snewsletterorcommunity’snewspaper.

6. Educate.AskyourRedCrossaccountmanagertogiveaneducationalpresentationforyourorganization.

Appointments, appointments, appointments:

Schedule specific appointments to meet your sign-up goal.

Peoplearemorelikelytodonateiftheyhaveasetappointment.

• YourRedCrossaccountmanagerwillshowyouhowconvenientandeasyitistomanageappointmentsusing the online blood drive management system.

• ApaperappointmentschedulecanbeprovidedtothosewhodonothaveInternetaccess.

Schedulingdonorsbyeithermethodisimportantbecauseitwillmakeforthemostefficientuseoftimeandreducesthewaittimefordonors.

Acquaint yourself with basic donor eligibility criteria.

YourRedCrossaccountmanagercanprovidebasicinformationaboutcommondonoreligibilityquestions. Forotherquestions,directpotentialdonorstotheRedCrosswebsiteatredcrossblood.orgorhavethem call1-800-REDCROSS(1-800-733-2767).

Additional recruitment tools:

• Onlinerecruitment:Logintotheblooddrivemanagementsystemonredcrossblood.orgtosendemailstopromoteyourdrive(seePage10fordetails).

• Onlineresources:Visitredcrossblood.org/recruitmentresourcestofindtoolstohelpmakeyour blood drive a success.

• RedCrossrecruitmentmaterials:YourRedCrossaccountmanagerwillprovideyouwithprintedmaterialsforyourblooddrive.

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Final countdown: Three days to the day of the drive

Remind donors personally.

Ifyouusetheblooddrivemanagementsystem,itwillautomaticallysendreminderstoscheduleddonorswhohave provided their phone number or email address. Please take the time to call the remaining donors and remindthemofhowimportantitistobeontimefortheirappointment.Patientscountonthesuccessofeachand every blood drive to help make sure blood is available whenever it is needed.

Reconfirm arrangements and appointments.

Thisisthetimetoreconfirmlast-minutedetailssuchassitearrangements,refreshmentareaitems,donorappointmentsandvolunteerassignments.EnsuretheroomisemptiedofanyfurnishingsbeforeRedCrossstaffarrive.Printacopyoftheblooddriveschedulefortheregistrationtable.YourRedCrossaccountmanagercanmakearrangementsforanappointmentscheduleforyournextdrivetobeplacedintherefreshmentareasothatyoucanencouragedonorstoscheduletheirnextappointments.

Coordinate details with your Red Cross account manager.

Someoneonyourteamshouldarriveattheblooddrivesitewellbeforethefirstscheduledappointmenttogreetstaffandhelpgetthesiteready.Displayclearlymarkedsignstoindicatetheblooddrivelocationtodonors.Makesurevolunteersarecomfortablewiththeirassignments.Ifyouhaveanopeninginthedonorappointmentschedule,it’snottoolatetorecruitsomeonetofillin.Andremembertothankallofyourdonors.

Have a plan in place for contacting no shows.

Ifdonorsdonotpresenttodonateattheirscheduledappointmenttime,delegatetheroleofcallingnoshows. Proposeanopenappointmenttime.Ifanopenappointmenttimedoesn’twork,askiftheyarewillingtobeastandbydonor.Backfilltheappointmentsifnecessary.Keepyourlistofeligibledonorshandysothatyoucancalladditionaldonorstofillavailableappointments.

Donors can schedule appointments for your blood drive by:

•Contactingyou.

•Calling1-800-REDCROSS(1-800-733-2767).

•Goingtoredcrossblood.org.

•DownloadingtheBloodDonorApp.

Log in to the blood drive management system to:

•Scheduledonorappointments.

•Seewhohasscheduledappointmentsonline.

•Changeorcanceldonorappointments.

•Printapapercopyofyourdriveschedule.

MoreinformationabouttheblooddrivemanagementsystemisavailableonPage10.

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A job well done: One day to one week after the drive

Post results as soon as possible.

Maketheresultspublicsoeveryoneknowstheirhardworkpaidoff.Ifyoureachyourgoal,it’sworthaspecialcelebration.Regardlessoftheamountofbloodcollected,thepeopleinyourorganizationdeserverecognition.

Thank your donors.

Athankyounote,memooremailfromyouandotherleadersinyourorganizationorcommunitywillmakeeveryonefeelgreataboutparticipating.Takepicturesandpostthemorrecognizeresultsinyournewsletter.

Thank your team.

Thanksshouldalsogoouttoyourteam.Awordfromseniorleadershipandapersonalwordfromyouwillletthemknowthattheireffortswereappreciated.Byacknowledgingeveryonewhohelped,you’llbuildagoodfoundationforthenextblooddrive.

Complete the sponsor survey.

Youwillreceiveanemailwithalinktotakeabriefsponsorsurvey.Yourfeedbackisimportantandwillhelpusbetter serve you and other blood drive coordinators.

A look back and a look forward: One week after the drive

Hold a team meeting for feedback.

Plan to bring your recruitment team together one more timetoreviewtheentireprocess.Didyoumakeyourgoal?Whatwentwell?Whatneedsimprovement?Whatwouldyouchange?Thismeetingshouldtakeplacewhiledetailsarefreshineveryone’sminds.

Review the drive with your Red Cross account manager.

Your Red Cross account manager will discuss the blood drive results with you and review what went well and what couldbeimproved.Ifyoudidn’treachyourgoal,reviewthepossiblecauses.ThiswillhelpyourorganizationinthefutureandhelptheRedCrossbetterserveyouwithyourfutureblooddrives.Anddon’tforgettobookyournextblood drive. Averywasjust4daysoldwhenshehadherfirst

heartsurgerytorepairaheartdefect.Shehadasecond surgery by the time she was 6 months old. Blooddonationssustainedherthroughbothofthose surgeries.

On behalf of the approximately 2,700 hospitals

served by the American Red Cross and the

patients whose lives are in their hands,

THANK YOU!

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Managing confidential donor information

Blood donor lists

Asablooddrivecoordinator,you’llhaveaccesstolistsofRedCrossblooddonorsandtheircontactinformation.Youwillreceiveanewandupdatedblooddonorlistforeachdrive.Allinformationontheselistsisconfidential. YoumayuseitonlytocommunicatewithandrecruitpotentialblooddonorsforaRedCrossblooddrive. Youmaynotdiscloseorsharethelistwithanyoneelse,excepttoapersonwithinyourorganizationwhoneedsittohelprecruitpotentialblooddonors. Onceyouhavefinishedusingthelist,youmustreturnittotheRedCrossordestroyitusingashredderorothermethodtomaketheinformationunreadable.

Instructions for editing blood donor lists

Fromtimetotime,youmayhearfromadonorthattheircontactinformationisdifferentthanwhatwehaveonfile,thattheyareunabletodonateforaperiodoftimeorthattheywishtoberemovedfromtheblooddonorlists.Weaskthatyouhelpuskeepourdonorrecordsup-to-datebymodifyingthelistasyoulearnofthesechanges.Thiswillhelpensureyoureceivethemostup-to-datecontactinformationandweminimizecallstodonors who have requested not to be contacted.

To make changes to donor contact information, simply make a note on the list using the following guidelines.

If a donor has moved:• Providethenewaddressifyouhaveit.

• Ifyoudonotknowthenewaddress,justnotethatthedonorhasmoved.

If a phone number is invalid:

• Redial to make sure you dialed correctly.

• Callinformationorcheckthephonedirectorytoseeifthereisanew number available.

• Providethenewnumber,ifavailable,orwrite“nonumberfound”onthelist.

If a donor asks that their name be permanently removed from recruitment lists:

Please note “permanent removal” and provide a reason for removal. For example:

• Deceased.

• Age,troubledonating,medication,cancerorotherhealthproblem.

• Gettingtoomanycalls.

• HasbeeninEuropelongerthantheallowedtime.

• Dissatisfieddonor.

• Told by another blood center not to donate.

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If a donor is unable to donate:

Please note “temporary removal” and provide a start date and reason why donor is unable to donate (Red Cross will determine the length of removal based on the reason and the start date). For example:

• Outofcountry.

• Traveled to a malarial area.

• Tattoo.

• Pregnant.

If a donor does not want to receive recruitment for a certain time frame:

Please include a reason and a date when recruitment can resume. For example:

• Donorrequested.

• Attendingcollege.

If a donor no longer donates at your site or for your sponsor group:

• Note“disassociate”onthelist.

If a donor’s name has changed or is incorrect in our records:

• Print the new or corrected name legibly on the list.

• Instructdonorstoprovideadequateidentificationtocollectionsstaff duringregistrationattheirnextdonationopportunity.

Editing tips:

• Useredink,ifpossible.

• Printlegibly.

• Clearlynotechangesonthesamerowasthedonorrecord.

• Provideasmuchspecificinformationaspossible.

• Crossoutincorrectinformationbydrawingasingle,straightlinethroughtheinformationsotheoriginalwording is still legible.

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Using the blood drive management system on redcrossblood.org

Theblooddrivemanagementsystemprovidesaconvenienttoolforyoutoplanyourblooddrives.

Our online blood drive management and scheduling system allows you to:

• Scheduleandviewyourblooddrives.

• Managedonorappointments.

• Createandupdatedonorinformation.

• Viewdriveactivityforcurrentandpastdrivesscheduledinthesystem.

• Trackresultsforyourblooddrives.

• Communicatewithcurrentandprospectivedonorsviaemail.

For login steps for the blood drive management system, see the information sheet located in your folder.

Visit redcrossblood.org/help/bdctofindavideodemonstrationandotherhelpfultoolsfortheblooddrive management system.

My Team Planning at a glance

Getting started (12 to 10 weeks before drive)

Verifyyourblooddrivegoal.

Verifydateandtimeofdrive.

Verifythesite.

Building a winning team (6 to 4 weeks before drive)

Form a recruitment team.

Recruitvolunteersforthedrive.

Getting the word out (3 weeks to 1 day before drive)

Askdonorsface-to-facetomakeablood donation appointment.

Call donors and potential donors.

Sendemails.

Sharewithyoursocialnetworks.

Post publicly.

Educate.

Schedulespecificappointmentstomeetyoursign-upgoal.

Acquaintyourselfwithbasicdonoreligibilitycriteria.

Final countdown (3 days to day of drive)

Remind donors personally.

Reconfirmarrangementsandappointments.

Coordinate details with your Red Cross account manager.

Haveaplaninplaceforcontactingnoshows.

A job well done (1 day to 1 week after drive)

Post results as soon as possible.

Thank your blood donors.

Thank your team.

Complete the sponsor survey.

A look back and a look forward (1 week after drive)

Holdateammeetingforfeedback.

Review the drive with your Red Cross account manager.

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Common blood donor objections and how to respond

Donating blood takes too long. I’m too busy.

Iunderstandourdailylivescanbeveryhectic,buttheneedforbloodisconstantforpatients.Canyouarrangeanhouroutofyourscheduletohelpsavelives?

I’m too scared. I am afraid of needles.

That’snatural.Almosteveryoneisapprehensivethefirsttimetheydonate.Pinchthefleshy,softundersideofyourarm.Thatpinchissimilartowhatyouwillfeelwhentheneedleisinsertedintoyourarm.Ifatanytimeyoufeeluncomfortable,youmaytellaRedCrossstaffmember;theyareaccustomedtohelpingdonorsthroughthisprocess.

They don’t want my blood.

Ifyouweredeferredthelasttimebecauseofyourpulse,temperature,bloodpressureorironcount,itwasprobablyatemporarycondition.Thesefourhealthchecksarealwaysmadebeforeyouarepermittedtodonate.Pleasetrytodonateagainorcall1-800-REDCROSStoaskspecificallyaboutyoureligibility.

My blood type is so common. I only need to donate once a year.

Allbloodtypesareneededeveryday,regardlessofwhethertheyarerareorcommon.Patientscomeinalltypes,too.Insomeemergencysituations,typeObloodcanbegiveninplaceofotherbloodtypes.LargequantitiesoftypeOmaybeneededbyaccidentvictimsandprematureinfantswhoneedbloodtherapy.

Giving blood may not be good for me.

Themini-physicalandhealthhistoryyouwillreceiveonthedayyoudonatecanhelpensureyouareingoodgeneralhealth.Nooneisallowedtogivebloodifitisknownthatitwillharmthem.

I had difficulty donating last time.

Wealwayswantourdonorstohaveapositiveexperience.MakesureyoutelltheRedCrossstaffabout yourpreviousexperiencesoyoumayreceivespecialattention.Inmostcases,youwillbeabletogiveagain withoutdifficulty.

I only want to be contacted for emergencies.

Bloodmustbeavailable,processedandtestedbeforeacriticalsituation.Theneedforbloodbysevereburnpatients,accidentvictimsandcancerpatientsisanemergencyforthem.Wemustalwaysbepreparedforemergencies to help all patients in need.

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Remind donors to:

• Drinkanextra16ouncesofwaterornonalcoholicfluidsbeforedonating.

• Eatahealthymealbeforedonating.Avoidfattyfoods,suchashamburgers,friesoricecream.

• Getagoodnight’ssleep.

• Takethetimetoenjoyasnackandadrinkintherefreshmentareaimmediatelyafterdonating.

Frequently asked questions

Who can donate?

Individualswhoare17yearsofageandolder(16withparentalpermissioninsomestates),meetweightandheightrequirements(110poundsormore)andareingeneralgoodhealthmaybeeligibletodonateblood.PleasebringyourRedCrossblooddonorcardorotherformofphotoIDwhenyoucometodonate.YourmedicalhistoryanddonoreligibilitywillbeevaluatedbyRedCrossstaffattheblooddrive.

Can I give blood if I have traveled outside the U.S.?

Mosttravelisnotareasonfordeferral.However,therearesomeareasoftheworldthatareatincreasedriskforcertaindiseases.Visitredcrossblood.org,call1-800-REDCROSSorasktheRedCrossstaffformoreinformationaboutspecificdestinations.

Can I get a disease from donating?

Thereisnoknownwayofcontractinganyinfectiousdiseasebydonatingblood.Allequipmentusedtocollectbloodissterile,usedonceandthendiscarded.Bloodiscollectedbyastaffofprofessionalswhoprotectthesafetyofthedonor.

How long does it take?

Whenappointmentsaremadeinadvance,theprocesstakesaboutanhour.Theactualdonationtakesabouteightto10minutes.Theactualdonationtimeforadoubleredcelldonationisslightlylongerandtakesaboutanhourandahalffromstarttofinish.Timeisneededforregistration,amini-physical,healthhistoryinterviewandrefreshmentsfollowingyourdonation.

How much blood is taken?

Forblooddonations,alittlelessthanapintofbloodisdrawn.Yourbodywillreplacethefluidlossinabout 24hours.Redbloodcellreplacementwillbeginimmediatelybutwilltakefourtosixweeksforcompletion.

Do I get paid for donating blood?

Itisbelievedthatthebloodsupplyisthesafestitcanbeifindividualsdonotreceivemonetarypayment.Asasignofourcommitmenttoqualityandensuringthesafestpossiblebloodproducts,theRedCrossonlyacceptsblooddonationsfromvolunteersaccordingtoFoodandDrugAdministrationregulationsandguidance.Volunteerblooddonationsaretheonlysourceofbloodtransfusionstohospitalpatients.

How will I feel after donating?

Mostpeoplefeeljustfine.Eatingabalancedmealanddrinkingplentyoffluidsbeforeyourdonation,thinkingpositivelyaboutyourdonationandknowingwhattoexpectwillallhelp.Regularactivitycanberesumedfollowingthedonation,althoughyoushouldavoidheavyliftingfortheremainderoftheday.

How often can I give blood and platelets?

Youcangivebloodevery56days,doubleredcells(twounitsatonetime)every112daysorplateletsupto 24timesperyear.

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Tips for a successful blood drive

General tips

• MaintaincontactwithyourRedCrossaccountmanagerthroughout the process. Your account manager is there to support you.

• Makesureyouscheduleyourdriveonadaywithnoconflictingactivitiesorevents.

• ConfirmandreconfirmsitearrangementstoensurethesiteisreadyfortheRedCrosscollectionsteamthedayofthedrive.

• Organizearecruitmentteamtohelpyourecruitdonorsandhelpthedayofthedrive.

• Requirescheduledappointmentsandfollowthetimeslots allotted by your Red Cross account manager.

• Keeptrackofyoursign-upsandkeepyourRedCrossaccountmanagerinformedofyourprogress.

• StrivetoachieveyourgoalastheRedCrossmustmake sure that an adequate blood supply is always ontheshelf,readytohelppatientsinneed.

• Haveaplaninplaceforcontactingnoshows.

• Haveabackupplanjustincasesomethingcomesup.

Recruitment tips

• Askpotentialdonorsface-to-facesothateveryoneisaskedpersonally.Itis,handsdown,themosteffectiveformofrecruitment.

• Givelotsofencouragementtonewparticipantsandvolunteers.

• Beprepared.Haveyourdeferralinformationandrecruitmentmaterialshandysoyoucananswerbasicquestions about giving blood.

• Advertise,advertise,advertise.Don’tbelimitedbyjustusingpostersandfliers;getcreativeandutilizeallpromotionaland/orrecruitmentchannelsavailable.

• DetermineanyopportunitiesforyourRedCrossaccountmanagertomakeapresentationtopotentialdonorstokickofftheappointmentschedulingeffort.

• Sendcards,emailsormakephonecallsthreedaysbeforethedrivetoreminddonorsoftheircommitments.

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More ways to help

We greatly appreciate our partnership with you and hope you will continueyourcommitmentbyjoiningthemillionsofotherAmericanRed Cross volunteers across the country. These volunteers help provideongoingsupportintheareasofArmedForcesEmergencyServices,DisasterServices,HealthandSafetyServicesandInternationalServices.

Armed Forces Emergency ServicesTheRedCrossMovementbeganonthebattlefield.Today,thatsamespiritispresentwhereverUnitedStatesmilitarytroopsarelocated. The Red Cross provides reporting and communication services throughanetworkthatlinksmembersofthemilitaryanywherein the world with their loved ones back home.

Disaster ServicesEveryyear,theRedCrossrespondstonearly70,000disasters,includinghouseorapartmentfires,hurricanes,floods,earthquakes,tornadoes,hazardousmaterialspills,transportationaccidents,explosionsandothernaturalandman-madedisasters.TheRedCrossprovidesinformationaboutdisasterpreparednessthatreachesmillionsofAmericans.

Preparedness and Health and Safety ServicesTheAmericanRedCrossisthenation’sleadingproviderof preparednesstraining.Everycommunityissaferthankstothemore than4.3millionpeopleayearwhoreceiveRedCrosstrainingandinformationinfirstaid,CPR/AEDuse,watersafety,babysittingand otherskills.Formorethan100years,theRedCrosshashelpedkeeppeopleandtheirfamiliessaferaspartoftheorganization’smissionofemergency prevention and preparedness.

International ServicesAmericanRedCrossInternationalServicesworksaspartoftheInternationalRedCrossandRedCrescentMovement,theworld’slargesthumanitariannetwork,torestorehopeanddignitytotheworld’svulnerablepeoplebybringingemergencyrelieftodisastervictimsandimprovingthebasiclivingconditionsofthoseinchronicallydeprivedareasoftheworld.

A gift of financial supportAgiftofanysizesupportsthelifesavingmissionoftheAmericanRedCross,whetherit’srespondingtoadisaster,collectinglifesavingblood,teachingskillsthatcansavealifeorassistingourmilitarymembersandtheirfamilies.Visitredcross.orgformoreinformation.

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Notes

© The American National Red Cross | 2015-APL- 03198