Hospitals, including RWJBarnabas Health, in urgent need of blood donations

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — RWJBarnabas Health urges everyone to donate blood and other blood products, such as platelets and plasma, to help overcome a national shortage. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing that was required to slow the spread of infection, there has been a significant drop in blood donations.

“As hospital needs outpace blood donations, the state’s blood supply is rapidly depleting,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Blood Services Business Development liaison.

RWJBarnabas Health is calling for blood donors of all types, especially type O, the universal blood type, as well as platelet donors.

To donate, schedule an appointment at one of the blood centers.

RWJBarnabas Health has two fixed locations, one at RWJUH New Brunswick, located on the fourth floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building, 125 Paterson St., New Brunswick, and one at RWJUH Somerset, 110 Rehill Ave., Somerville. Both centers are open Monday through Saturday.

To make an appointment at a fixed RWJBarnabas Health blood center site or to find a blood drive location near you, visit: https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org. Additional blood drives may be accessed at the American Red Cross at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive or at the New York Blood Center at https://donate.nybc.org/donor/auth/signin.

Both the American Red Cross and the New York Blood Center supply hospitals across the state.

RWJBarnabas Health is hosting several blood drives across the state this summer, including:

Wednesday, July 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at RWJUH Campus and Community, Administrative Building, 1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick.
Saturday, July 10, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Community Medical Center, 67 Route 37 W., Toms River.
Thursday, July 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Livingston Community/Senior Center, 204 Hillside Ave., Livingston.
Tuesday, July 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., RWJUH Rahway, 865 Stone St., Rahway.
Wednesday, July 21, from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., Brunswick Square Mall, 755 Route 18, East Brunswick.
Saturday, July 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Secaucus Police Department, 1200 Koelle Blvd., Secaucus.
Tuesday, July 27, from 1 to 7 p.m., Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Ave., Somerset.
Tuesday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saint Barnabas Medical Center, 94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston.
Thursday, Aug. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, 201 Lyons Ave., Newark.
Thursday, Aug. 5, from noon to 6 p.m., Piscataway Community River Road Rescue Squad, 101 Shirley Parkway, Piscataway.
Tuesday, Aug. 10, from 12:30 to 6 p.m., Monmouth Medical Center, 300 Second Ave., Long Branch.
Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monmouth University Student Center, 400 Cedar Ave., West Long Branch.
Saturday, Aug. 14, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Community Medical Center, 67 Route 37 W., Toms River.
Tuesday, Aug. 17, from noon to 6 p.m., Trenton Thunder Arm and Hammer Park, 1 Thunder Road, Trenton.
Wednesday, Aug. 18, RWJUH Hamilton, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton.
Thursday, Aug. 19, from 2 to 8 p.m., Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, 600 River Ave., Lakewood.

Donors must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds; those younger than 18 need parental permission and should weigh at least 120 pounds. Donors must present photo identification at the time of donation.

Donor centers and all RWJBarnabas Health blood drives have rigorous safety protocols in place to protect all donors. These include temperature checks of staff and donors, required face coverings, social distancing requirements in waiting areas and donation spaces, and strict sanitary protocols, including disinfection of donor areas.

To organize a blood drive in your community, call Sally Wells at 732-558-4983 or email sally.wells@rwjbh.org.