March/April 2024 Philanthropy Update
From left, SDBB Board Chair Bob Finzi; Amy Abrams from Grossmont Healthcare District; Anthony R. Carr, Managing Partner of San Diego Self Storage; Lori Moore, Vice President of the Cushman Foundation; Leslie Eagan, VP of Donor Services; Cherryl Castro-Lector, Director of Development and Steve Teixeira from San Diego Self Storage cut the ribbon for SDBB’s newest bloodmobile.
Dear Friend,
Happy Spring from San Diego Blood Bank!
I am thrilled to share that our newest bloodmobile, SAM, has officially joined our fleet of lifesaving vehicles. We thank those who provided financial support at all giving levels for enabling SDBB to expand our reach in the community, making it easier and more convenient for people to donate blood at mobile drives throughout Southern California. Many thanks!
Save the date for the 8th Annual Padres Summer Blood Drive. We hope to see you on Tuesday, May 7th, at the newly remodeled Gallagher Square at Petco Park. Please see more information in our newsletter about blood donation requirements and making an appointment at this highly anticipated blood drive.
The growing demand for blood to help serve patients in need is the driving force behind our efforts. We thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our lifesaving mission.
With gratitude,
Cherryl Castro-Lector
Director of Development
(619) 400-8214
cclector@sdbb.org
A new bloodmobile joins the fleet
On Thursday, February 29th, community partners, financial donors, blood donors, and blood recipients joined staff at San Diego Blood Bank Headquarters for the ribbon-cutting of our new bloodmobile, SAM (Specialized Agile Mobile).
SAM is unique because it has three beds (our standard bloodmobiles have four) and it is nine feet smaller than our other bloodmobiles, making it perfect for blood drives that do not have the space for a full-size bloodmobile. We estimate this new bloodmobile will collect more than 5,000 units of blood products each year, potentially saving more than 15,000 lives every year.
Thank you to the County of San Diego, the Cushman Foundation, Grossmont Healthcare District, and San Diego Self Storage and Managing Partner, Anthony R. Carr, for funding this vital resource for blood collection in our community..
connect to life community event
Following the ribbon-cutting of our newest bloodmobile (see story above) on February 29th, SDBB welcomed community partners and blood and financial donors to Connect to Life, our bi-annual donor stewardship and community event. Guests enjoyed delicious appetizers from Continental Catering, a short program with guest speaker Dr. Denise Malicki from Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, and a tour of our blood testing and processing labs and distribution center. Raffle baskets were donated by Coomber Family Ranch and Sipwell Wine Company.
Thank you to everyone who attended our ribbon-cutting ceremony and Connect to Life event!
save-the-date
8th Annual padres summer blood drive
Tuesday, May 7th, 9 AM - 6 PM, Gallagher Square At Petco Park
The Padres Summer Blood Drive is one of SDBB’s largest blood collection drives and is an annual effort to boost San Diego County’s blood supply, which routinely dips in the summer because students are on summer break and donors are travelling. Since 2017, more than 2,698 pints of blood have supported thousands of patients in Southern California hospitals.
To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old, weight at least 110 lbs. and be in general good health.
Learn more about blood donor requirements and read Frequently Asked Questions.
Questions? Email us at donorservices@sdbb.org or call (619) 400-8251.
Featured Funding Priority
New Donation Location in clairemont mesa at clairemont town Square
Partner with SDBB to save lives in San Diego. Our local donor centers welcome nearly 60,000 volunteer blood donors each year and to meet growing demands, SDBB is expanding its impact in the community through the addition of a new donation location located in Clairemont Mesa at Clairemont Town Square.
Blood collected by SDBB helps those with critical medical needs, from cancer to trauma. Altogether, our donor centers are responsible for collecting 50 percent of our vital blood supply. In response to community needs, and for blood donors to have access to physical donor centers, SDBB has opened a temporary site in Clairemont Mesa.
SDBB is seeking individual, corporate, and foundation support to fund critical supplies and equipment to ensure the new location is fully equipped when the doors to the permanent site open this Fall.
For more information, please contact Cherryl Castro-Lector, Director of Development, at cclector@sdbb.org or (619) 400-8214.
community partner spotlight
SDBB CEO Doug Morton is pictured with members of the Cushman Foundation and staff of Cush Enterprises on a recent stewardship visit to their headquarters.
San Diego Blood Bank CEO Doug Morton and members of the Financial Development Department paid a visit to the Cushman Foundation to share the newest bloodmobile in our fleet. SAM (Specialized Mobile Agile) is a welcome addition that will enable SDBB to collect approximately 5,000 units of blood products annually, potentially saving the lives of up to 15,000 hospital patients in need each year. SDBB thanks the Cushman Foundation for their generous $50,000 lead gift to the bloodmobile campaign and for 26 years of community partnership that supports the health and wellness of all San Diegans.
featureD sponsor
San Diego Blood Bank thanks Barona Resort & Casino for its $5,000 corporate sponsorship in support of the new, permanent Clairemont Mesa Donor Center. Their gift will fund the location’s essential start up needs to service our blood donor community in Clairemont Mesa. In turn, blood collected at the donation center will benefit patients in need. SDBB thanks Barona Resort & Casino for their recent gift, and 28 years of generosity, support, and lifesaving community partnership!
special thanks
San Diego County Employee’s Charitable Organization
Thank you to the San Diego County Employee’s Charitable Organization (CECO) for their grant to help fund heating pads for blood donors during their donation. These heating pads are especially important to platelet donors because they spend up to two hours in a donation chair and their body temperature can lower. A comfortable donation experience helps ensure donors continue to make recurring donations to help SDBB maintain a robust supply of blood products for patients in need of our community.
We are grateful to CECO for their continued support of our lifesaving mission.
support SDBB while you shop
San Diego Blood Bank Partners with Kendra Scott to Support SDBB’s Cord Blood Program
Kendra Scott is donating 20% off in-store proceeds on purchases made on the following days and times at their UTC and Fashion Valley stores:
Saturday, May 18: UTC 12pm - 2pm, Fashion Valley 2pm - 4pm
Online code for May 18 & 19, GIVEBACK-GLWCY
Saturday, July 20: UTC 12pm - 2pm, Fashion Valley 2pm - 4pm
Saturday, September 21: UTC 12pm - 2pm, Fashion Valley 2pm - 4pm
Saturday, December 21: UTC 12pm - 2pm, Fashion Valley 2pm - 4pm.
Can’t make it to a store? You can support SDBB when you shop online at kendrascott.com on both Saturday and Sunday of the in-store weekend promotion. Stay tuned for the special online code for each weekend.
For more information click here.
As the region’s only public cord blood bank, SDBB collaborates with leading hospitals to collect and store umbilical cord blood stem cells, vital for treating a range of life-threatening conditions, including leukemia and immune diseases. Proceeds from sales will go towards supporting our Cord Blood Program.
Happy shopping and thank you for your support!
Meet team survivor Father emilio
When Emilio was learning to walk as a baby in Tijuana, his mother noticed he had no strength in his legs, and he was always falling. While this is common for babies just learning to walk, after some time, his mother started to worry and took him to the doctor. Emilio’s doctor did some tests and found that he had a bacterial infection in his right hip bone that required him to have blood transfusions. The hospital where he was being treated did not have his blood type available, so his mother contacted the local media asking them to share the message about the need. A man from Mexicali heard the news and drove to Tijuana where he donated blood to Emilio. While he never learned the name of this person who donated blood for him, Emilio, later known as Father Magaña, often reflects on his thanks to this man for saving his life.
Father Magaña is now a priest at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church. He enjoys celebrating mass, playing the guitar and watching wrestling matches.
March is National Nurtition Month
National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table,” which addresses the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets - and even home food safety and storage practices.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can help you create healthy habits that are sustainable and celebrate your unique needs.
During National Nutrition Month and beyond, choose nutrient-rich foods that represent the five basic food groups. Use these tips to get started: Food Groups (eatright.org)
Planning ahead may help relieve mealtime stress. Follow these steps to plan for and prepare nutritious and delicious meals that fits your preferences and lifestyle: Planning (eatright.org)
Knowing culinary techniques can help bring out flavor in foods without needing to add a lot of extra ingredients or calories! Learn the basics of common cooking techniques to navigate recipes and get healthy meals on the table: Food Preparation (eatright.org)
Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be complicated! Choose nutritious foods that have vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients. Click HERE for more tips.
Source: https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month
2022/2023 Impact Report
We are delighted to share San Diego Blood Bank’s 2022/2023 Impact Report that highlights key milestones and collaborations that impacted the health of our community. We are most grateful to you, our financial supporters, for your partnership in saving lives and supporting our mission through your generosity.
SDBB’s commitment to Southern California patients remains steadfast and we are grateful for your loyalty and support.
Please contact Director of Development, Cherryl Castro-Lector, for more information about SDBB and the impact of your financial support. She can be reached at 619-400-8214 or cclector@sandiegobloodbank.org.
Health & Wellness
National walking day is April 3, 2024
The American Heart Association (AHA) encourages you to celebrate National Walking Day on April 3rd, and the entire month, by accepting the challenge to move more.
Research has shown that walking can have a significant impact on your health by lowering your chances of heart disease. Click HERE to learn more about the benefits of walking and how incorporating it more can lead to healthier living.
Corporate Partnership Opportunities
SDBB is grateful to our corporate partners who are passionate about saving and improving the lives of the patients we serve. They host blood drives, their employees volunteer and give blood, and they give financially to help support our greatest needs such as a new bloodmobile, lab equipment, blood collection supplies, and research.
We work with companies and organizations to create mutually beneficial partnership opportunities, and there are many ways to support our work, including:
Making a corporate gift to support a specific need
Sponsoring an event such as our Connect to Life community event
Helping to fund programs like Precision Blood™ or the High School Blood Drive Challenge
Encouraging employee volunteerism
Making a gift in honor of employee volunteer hours
Providing a matching gift for a fundraising campaign
Conducting a point-of-sale or cash register round-up campaign
Fundraise for SDBB by hosting a donor reception, golf tournament, or other event
SDBB recognizes our corporate partners throughout the year in various digital and print channels, on our donor center digital displays (in six of our donor centers), and on our bloodmobiles!
For more information about corporate partnerships, please contact Susan Josephson, Development Manager, at sjosephson@sdbb.org or (619) 400-8320.
Planned Giving
Philanthropy is personal, and every donor has a unique “why” they give. There are many ways to make a planned gift such as stock, real estate, life insurance, will or living trust, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, and charitable lead trust. SDBB also has an endowment at San Diego Foundation, and we welcome gifts to fund # 4727 (please include the fund number on your check).
For more information about how to contribute to SDBB’s endowment or create your legacy through planned giving to SDBB, please contact Cherryl Castro-Lector, Director of Development, at cclector@sdbb.org or (619) 400-8214.
donate your unwanted vehicle
to san Diego Blood Bank
San Diego Blood Bank is partnering with Charitable Adult Rides and Services (CARS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise owned by a nonprofit and supporting only nonprofits through vehicle donations. CARS takes care of everything, from the pick-up and sale, to sending you the donation receipt and necessary tax documents. CARS is committed to treating every vehicle donor with gratitude and great service while delivering the highest possible returns to our partners. To date, CARS has returned more than $300 million to their nonprofit partners because of vehicles donors.
Simply click HERE to complete the form, and CARS will reach out to you to arrange the pick-up of your vehicle donation, at no cost to you. You will make a difference in the lives of patients needing lifesaving blood and your generous gift could earn you a tax deduction.
Shop. Donate. Save lives!
While shopping for gifts or everyday essentials, you can also support 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.
GoodShop: 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 San Diego Blood Bank. 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’s mission. Monthly gifts fund SDBB’s annual greatest need. Contact Development Manager Diane Owens at (619) 400-8336 or dowens@sdbb.org.
GIFTS OF STOCK — Did you know San Diego Blood Bank accepts appreciated gifts of stock with tax benefits for the donor? For more information on how to donate your stock, please contact Cherryl Castro-Lector, Director of Development, at (619) 400-8214 or cclector@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. Contact Development Manager Susan Josephson at (619) 400-8320 or sjosephson@sdbb.org.
COMMUNITY AND DIY FUNDRAISING — Partner with SDBB and fundraise with your company or team or for your birthday with a Facebook fundraiser! Contact Cherryl Castro-Lector, Director of Development, at 619-400-8214 or cclector@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.
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