October 2021 Philanthropy Update
Team Survivor Mercedes required blood during treatment for leukemia..
This October, SDBB is celebrating the opening of our newest donation location in Point Loma at Liberty Station. Expanding our reach in the community is vital to ensure we continue to fulfill our mission to provide lifesaving blood to patients in need like Mercedes (shown above) who required regular blood transfusions during treatment for leukemia. The new Point Loma location makes it more convenient for people in the city of San Diego to donate blood and we are excited to be at Liberty Station.
To further expand our reach, SDBB opened a temporary donation location in August 2020 at Terra Nova Plaza in Chula Vista. This location proved so successful that we are currently looking to secure a new site in South San Diego. Providing convenient blood collection locations and mobile blood drives throughout the region is critical to maintaining a steady supply of blood products to our community and beyond.
We are also excited to announce SDBB recently shipped a unit of umbilical cord blood to an infant patient (see below for the full story). We are proud of our team and our ability to help patients all over the country, and the world, through our cord blood program.
Thank you for your generous investment in our mission to provide a safe blood supply to our community and to advance health through research. Together, we give hope and life to thousands of patients each year.
With gratitude,
David Wellis, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Sherry Serio
Vice President of Development
liberty station permanent donation location now open
SDBB is celebrating the opening of the new, permanent donation location in Point Loma at Liberty Station. This new location enables SDBB to expand our reach in the community and increase blood collection efforts to meeting increased demand.
Financial donations helped fund critical resources for the new location, including blood bags, supplies, and blood collection equipment such as Trima Systems that enable us to serve patients more efficiently by separating and collecting a higher volume of plasma, platelets, and red blood cells.
Thank you for supporting our mission!
featured sponsor
Thank you to Grossmont Healthcare District for their recent gift of $30,000 to fund 10 essential HemoFlow 400XS devices. HemoFlows are vital in supporting the increase of blood collections by up to 10% (in weight-qualifed donors). This gift, in particular, will assist our blood collection efforts in East County.
On behalf of San Diego Blood Bank Foundation, many thanks to Grossmont Healthcare District for its 22 years of continued community partnership. Their support has allowed us to extend our reach in the community and benefit those in need of blood to survive.
Thank you, Grossmont Healthcare District, for impacting up to 15,900 more lives each year!
meet Team Survivor mia
Mia was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2021 and started treatment right away. She has received 26 blood transfusions so far and it is expected she will need several more transfusions as she goes through chemotherapy.
Mia loves her pets including two dogs, a fish, and a bunny, and loves to play Roblox, build Legos, play with her dolls, and go to the beach.
Along with the support of blood donors, financial donors help patients like Mia by helping make blood transfusion treatments possible by supporting fundraising efforts for critical supplies like blood bags and collection resources like Trima systems. Mia and her family are grateful for all the amazing lifesavers who donate.
corporate partnerships fuel our mission
Corporate philanthropy fuels new life and new hope. Companies partner with SDBB to provide lifesaving blood to children and adults struggling with life-threatening medical conditions.
Financial partnerships support SDBB’s mission to save lives and advance health, while inspiring companies to nourish community relationships. With our annual signature blood drive events, donor center services, and more than 3,000 annual mobile community blood drives, corporate sponsorships are recognized throughout Southern California as a socially conscious community give back partners.
Corporate partnerships impact life. Consider SDBB as a recipient of your organization’s holiday giving program.. Together, we are at the heart of healthcare.
For more information about corporate partnership opportunities, contact Sherry Serio at sserio@sandiegobloodbank.or or (619) 400-8188.
Featured Funding Priority
South San Diego Donation Location
SDBB expanded its impact in the community through the addition of a new donation location located in Chula Vista at Terra Nova Plaza. In less than a year, the existing temporary South Bay location welcomed nearly 2,500 volunteer blood donors and impacted approximately 12,000 lives! We are currently looking to secure a new, permanent site in South San Diego.
SDBB Foundation is seeking individual, corporate and foundation support to fund critical supplies and equipment such as Trima blood collection systems, HemoFlow blood collection monitors, scales, stethoscopes, and thermometers, to ensure the new donation location is fully equipped when its doors open early next year.
For more information, please contact Sherry Serio, Vice President of Development, at sserio@sandiegobloodbank.org or 619-400-8188.
San Diego Blood Bank Foundation’s Annual Giving Programs
SDBB’s Leadership Circle, Visionary Circle and Friends of SDBB annual giving programs are a great way to support our ongoing blood collection and research efforts. Join today to make a difference in the lives of local patients in need.
Your support will help fund critical equipment such as Trima systems and Hemoflow units that help staff safely collect blood.
Donations can be made in honor of a patient, relative or friend. Build your philanthropic legacy by motivating others to support and further our reach in the community. Your financial gift will help us continue to save thousands of lives every year.
Click on one of the logos above for more information and to support SDBB.
Special Thanks and congratulations!
SDBB is celebrating The Parker Foundation’s 50 years of supporting San Diego’s non-profit community, including us! For 26 years, The Parker Foundation has supported SDBB through grants for our greatest needs such as bloodmobiles, vital equipment, and our cord blood program. Many thanks to The Parker Foundation!
sdbb news
SDBB Ships Umbilical cord blood unit to Young Patient
COVID-19 Vaccine Antibody study
SDBB’s Cell Therapy Team
Umbilical Cord Blood Unit Shipped
SDBB’s Cell Therapy Department recently shipped another umbilical cord blood unit (CBU) for transfusion for a one month old infant. This CBU was collected back in 2001!
This is the longest frozen CBU that SDBB has shipped out for transfusion and this recipient will be the youngest patient treated with a CBU donated to San Diego Blood Bank. The recipient has been diagnosed with Krabbe disease. Krabbe disease is an inherited disorder in which the protective coating of nerve cells are destroyed.
BARDA Study
San Diego Blood Bank is partnering with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, on a new research study involving plasma from donors who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. The intent of the study is to test antibodies raised by COVID-19 vaccines found in the plasma of participants against new variants of the COVID-19 virus as they emerge. We invite you, your friends, and your family to participate!
Potential participants must meet the following criteria:
Age 18 years or older
Never diagnosed with COVID-19
Received a first and only dose of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in the last 8-38 weeks
Must currently be eligible to donate plasma
If interested, please fill out this form and someone will be in touch with you.
Donate Convalescent Plasma to fight COVID-19
While COVID-19 has no proven treatment, plasma taken from those who have recovered (called convalescent plasma) may help patients fighting COVID-19. This is because the plasma has developed antibodies against the virus. For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions at https://www.sandiegobloodbank.org/plasmaFAQs.
To donate convalescent plasma, donors must also meet the regular screening criteria for blood donation. Click HERE to let us know you are interested.
Featured Blood Donor
Mae
A huge congratulations to Mae, SDBB’s top volunteer, who has donated 15 gallons of blood on September 27th! Mae started volunteering in 2004 and has logged in nearly 14,000 hours helping out at donor centers and mobile drives over the past 17 years.
Mae was greeted by East County Donor Center staff who cheered her on as she was presented with a 15-gallon milestone certificate.
Need a little inspiration to go out and donate blood? Mae says, “Donating blood is one way of giving back; everybody is helping somebody else. It takes about one hour of your day to help save lives.”
Health and Wellness
To stay connected to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention latest covid-19 health updates click HERE.
Shop. Donate. Save lives!
While shopping for gifts or everyday essentials, you can also support the San Diego Blood Bank! Here are a few sites you can use to find those perfect gifts while donating to SDBB to support our life-saving efforts.
Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon.com credentials. Choose SDBB as the charitable organization to receive donation and start shopping! AmazonSmile can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones.
Register and choose San Diego Blood Bank as your charity of choice. Then use their search engine to find what you’re looking for and click through to a retailer's site to make your purchase, part of which will go to SDBB.
iGive: This works almost the same way, but you use a button on various retailers' websites. Go through the iGive.com easy registration process and choose The San Diego Blood Bank Foundation. Your favorite retailers will start supporting SDBB.
Ways to Make a Financial Gift
MONTHLY GIVING — Join our Visionary Circle by making a monthly gift to help sustain SDBB for the next 70 years. Monthly gifts fund SDBB’s annual greatest need.
GIFTS OF STOCK — Did you know San Diego Blood Bank Foundation accepts appreciated gifts of stock with tax benefits for the donor? For more information on how to donate your stock, please contact Sherry Serio, Vice President of Development, at 619-400-8188 or sserio@sdbb.org.
MATCHING GIFTS — Ask your employer if your company has an employee matching program. Double your impact and encourage corporate giving to local nonprofits like SDBB.
COMMUNITY AND DIY FUNDRAISING — Partner with SDBB and fundraise with your company or team or for your birthday with a Facebook fundraiser! Contact Lauren Torres, Development Manager, at ltorres@sdbb.org.
CHANGEUP — Sign up on changeupforcharity.com, choose San Diego Blood Bank and Changeup will round up your purchases and donate the spare change to SDBB.
HELPFUL LINKS
SUBSCRIBE
Don’t miss out on special events, philanthropy updates, news, announcements and more by joining the Foundation’s mailing list.AMAZON SMILE
Set San Diego Blood Bank as your charity on Amazon.Smile and Amazon gives when you shop!FINANCIAL INFORMATION
View our Tax ID or important financial information.CONTACT FOUNDATION
Send us a note with any questions about SDBB Foundation, ways to make a gift, or how to get involved.
THANK YOU TO OUR TOP SPONSORS
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
In partnership with our community, San Diego Blood Bank Foundation is the fundraising entity that supports critical resources for blood donations, advances San Diego Blood Bank’s critical healthcare role, and fuels collaboration with cutting-edge research and clinical organizations to advance cell therapy and precision medicine.
