LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is calling on the community to donate amid an already strained local and national blood supply
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – August 29, 2023 – As Hurricane Idalia approaches, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is asking blood donors to help an already strained local and national blood supply by donating before the storm hits Northeast Florida. Blood donors are needed now to maintain our community’s blood supply and help local hospitals prepare.
LifeSouth supplies blood to 70% of Northeast Florida hospital beds through its service to many regional hospitals, including Baptist Medical Center Beaches, Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Baptist Medical Center Nassau, Baptist Medical Center South, HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, UF Health Jacksonville, UF Health North and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Blood donated with LifeSouth directly helps patients at these hospitals.
All blood donors will receive a $20 e-gift card, and platelet and double red cell donors will receive an additional $20 e-gift card. All donors also receive a mini-physical, including blood pressure, temperature, iron level and cholesterol screen.
LifeSouth’s regional donor centers are open; appointments are encouraged, but not required to donate blood. Bloodmobiles will also be out at many locations before the storm hits – please visit www.lifesouth.org to find a schedule of upcoming blood drives in the area. Donor centers across Jacksonville are located at the addresses below:
Jacksonville Donor Center (7840 Baymeadows Way)
Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fleming Island Donor Center (1605 County Rd. 220, Unit 160)
Wednesday through Friday hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Julington Creek Donor Center (445 S.R. 13, Suite 25)
Tuesday through Friday hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For additional information about donation or to find a blood drive near you, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707, visit www.lifesouth.org or download the LifeSouth app. Appointments can also be made online.
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About LifeSouth:
LifeSouth is a non-profit community blood bank serving more than 125 hospitals in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. LifeSouth is committed to meeting the blood supply needs of hospitals and their patients by providing the highest quality blood components and services. The LifeSouth team is dedicated to making sure the blood is there when a patient is in need. To learn more, visit LifeSouth.org or donatingblood.org.