Le Moyne College will host its first blood drive of 2026 this Monday at the Curtin Special Events Room in the Campus Center, at a time when the American Red Cross is urgently seeking donors to replenish the blood supply during a severe national shortage.

The drive will be from noon to 6 p.m., according to Joseph Della Posta, Le Moyne’s senior director of communications and public affairs, himself a donor since he was 17. Students who give blood will receive a $20 gift card and a T-shirt, Della Posta said. The drive is open to both the campus community and the general public.

Della Posta visited a Le Moyne journalism class last Wednesday to talk about the blood drive at a time when the Red Cross, in a national news release this week, said the American blood supply has fallen 35 per cent in the past month.

To sign up, Della Posta said to go this link – https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=LEMOYNE. But he also said drive organizers will accept walk-ups. He said there are
two to three blood drives on campus each semester, and organizers aim for a total of 50 to 60 pints of
donated blood each time – but the shortage elevates the importance of the drive on Monday.

There is a shortage, according to the Red Cross, because of the threat of unpredictable winter weather
patterns and a rapid national increase in cases of the flu. The Red Cross is in particular need of O, A- and
B- donations.

“I think it’s important because I think probably less than 10 percent of people give blood,” said Della
Posta, a longtime donor who said he’s given about 20 gallons in his life. He said he was inspired by his
father, who was also a regular donor.

If you’re unsure about your medical eligibility for donating blood, please visit this web site:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements.html

This article was written by: Hope Adigun, Scott Borden, Riley Brennen, Maya Carpenter,
Mandy Condes, Mairead Conway, Dajhana Cueva Gomez, Abby Files, Anne Hiney, Hannah Jimenez,
Catherine Kidby, Nicholas Lauro, Mia Lesley-Fix, Sophia Morphet, Munenyasha Sigauke, Lanie Smith,
Emily Symans, and Alia Tennon