Event

RWJBarnabas Health is issuing a reminder to all New Jersey residents that blood and platelet donations are urgently needed to help combat a severe shortage statewide this winter. The shortage was initially driven by a surge in COVID HV. 1 cases and is expected to worsen due to an annual decrease in donations during the winter.

RWJBarnabas Health is calling on blood donors of all types, especially Type O and platelet donors, to help bolster the blood supply. All blood and platelet donations at RWJBarnabas Health blood drives or donor rooms stay within the system and impact local blood supply availability within a few days of being donated.

RWJBarnabas Health is hosting several blood drives across the state throughout December and January including:

Somerset County Law Enforcement Blood Drive - Sponsored by RWJUH Somerset and Somerset County Sheriff’s Office
Tuesday, December 12 at 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Steeplechase Cancer Center - Floor 1
30 Rehill Avenue, Somerville, NJ

Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center - Employee and Community Blood Drive
Tuesday, December 12 at 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Islami Conference Center
94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ

Monmouth Medical Center
Friday, December 15 at 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Unterberg Learning Center
300 2nd Avenue, Long Branch, NJ

South Plainfield Community
Saturday, December 16 at 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
JFK Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room
2900 Norwood Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Annual Gift of Life Blood Drive
Monday, December 18 at 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard
1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Community Blood Drive
Thursday, December 28 at 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard
1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus Community Blood Drive Sponsored by Bikur Cholim, The Lakewood Scoop & RWJBH
Wednesday, January 3 at 1:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Conference Center
600 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ

Jersey Shore Blue Claws
Monday, January 8 at 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
RWJBarnabas Health Champions Club
2 Stadium Way, Lakewood, NJ

Saint Peter's University Hospital
Tuesday, January 9 at 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sister Maria DiPazzi Conference Center
254 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Jersey City Medical Center
Thursday, January 11 at 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Conference Room 5, Main floor
355 Grand Street, Jersey City, NJ

Community Medical Center
Tuesday, January 16 at 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Auditoriums A & B
99 Hwy, 37 West, Toms River, NJ

New Brunswick Islamic Center - Gymnasium
Saturday, January 20 at 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1330 Livingston Avenue, North Brunswick Township, NJ

First Baptist Church of Keyport
Wednesday January 24 at 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
45 Main Street, Keyport, NJ

Robert Wood Johnson Rutgers Medical School
Tuesday, January 30 at 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
The Great Hall
675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ

To schedule an appointment at a fixed RWJBarnabas Health Donor Room,call 732-235-8100 ext. 221. Fixed donor locations are located at RWJUH in New Brunswick (located on the 4th floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building (CAB) at 125 Paterson Street in New Brunswick) and at RWJUH Somerset (located at 110 Rehill Avenue in Somerville). Both are open Monday-Friday and select Saturdays. For hours of operation and to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org. Both are open Monday-Friday and select Saturdays. For hours of operation and to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org.

Free parking is available for all blood donors. Donors must be 16 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16 years old), and present photo identification. If the donor has a history of viral hepatitis at age 11 or older or is recovering from an infectious illness, they are ineligible to donate. Under the FDA guidelines, all potential donors, irrespective of sexual orientation, gender, or sex, will undergo screening using a modified questionnaire that assesses the risk of HIV based on individual sexual behavior, recent partners, and other relevant factors. For more information on the new guidelines and IDA questionnaire, visit here.

Donor Centers and all RWJBarnabas Health Blood Drives have safety protocols to protect all donors. These include social distancing requirements in waiting areas and donation spaces, face masks required for all staff and strict sanitary protocols, including disinfection of donor areas. Donors may be required to wear a mask or face covering at certain donation locations.

To organize a blood drive in your community, please call 732-235-8100 ext. 221 or contact Sally Wells at sally.wells@rwjbh.org.