STEPHENVILLE (June 22, 2016) – The first corporation in Central Texas to become a sponsor of large-scale, organization-wide, multi-location blood drives, H-E-B grocery chain, has made blood donation a priority in the region for more than a decade. The 2016 H-E-B Challenge takes place again this year, beginning this month.
H-E-B will host upcoming blood drives in Stephenville. One upcoming blood drive will be from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 29. The second opportunity to give will be from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 5. The third will be from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 8 at 2150 W. Washington. H-E-B Challenge blood drives will be held on the Carter BloodCare bus.
In 2015, 22 stores hosted blood drives and together collected 527 units of blood with Carter BloodCare. This summer, employees of the participating H-E-B stores will again challenge each other to collect the most blood in the series of onsite blood drives.
“More than 20 percent of Carter BloodCare’s annual collections come from high school blood drives, and that number drops significantly during summer months when schools are out,” said Carter BloodCare’s Michelle Johnson, vice president of Corporate and Community Resources. “We really appreciate partners like H-E-B that energize volunteer blood donors, to make blood transfusion possible for patients, and at the convenience of a trip to the grocery store.”
An annual traveling trophy is awarded to the store with the highest ratio of donors versus partners (employees); this helps equal the playing field between small and large stores. There is also a trophy awarded to the store that collects the most units of blood. In addition, the Carter BloodCare Central Texas staff hosts an ice cream social for the H-E-B employees of the two winning stores. Stephenville H-E-B is the reigning 2015 champion with highest percentage of donors (39 percent participation). Stephenville H-E-B won for the greatest number of pints donated in 2015: 55 units donated.
Historically, H-E-B stores participating in the Challenge have hosted 229 drives since the inception 13 years ago. More than 4,600 units have been collected, which translates to more than 13,900 lives saved.
Potential blood donors may volunteer beginning at age 16 with parental consent; 17-year-olds may give independently and there is no upper age limit for giving blood. All donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well on the day of donation and present a government-issued photo ID each time they give blood. It’s also a good idea to eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water before giving blood. For more information on donor eligibility and to make an appointment, call 1-800-366-2834 or visit carterbloodcare.org.
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that operates on behalf of patients in 50-plus Texas counties. With volunteer blood donors, Carter BloodCare is the primary provider of blood and transfusion services to nearly 200 hospitals and healthcare facilities in north, central and east Texas. The blood center is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, accredited by AABB and is a member of America’s Blood Centers.
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