SSFS 2026 Red Cross Blood Drive

Our annual blood drive will take place in the Athletic Center Gym on Wednesday, March 4th, from 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM. Parents, family, staff, and students are welcome to donate (please register online). We hope to collect more than 50 units to help alleviate the nationwide blood shortage that is ever-present and continues to affect our community.

All blood types are encouraged to donate.

To donate blood with the Red Cross in Maryland, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental consent
• Weigh at least 110 pounds
• Be in good general health and feeling well
• Have not donated blood in the last 56 days
• Be free of cold and flu symptoms on the day of donation
• Have not had a blood transfusion in the last 3 months
• Postpone donating if you have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of COVID-19

Double Red Cell Donations

Donors are encouraged to make double red cell donations, if they meet enhanced eligibility requirements. Red blood cells are what hospitals transfuse to patients 65% of the time. By collecting only red blood components and returning your plasma and platelets back to you, the Red Cross is able to provide much needed supplies to local hospitals. Note that this is a single needle procedure, not a double-needle procedure like platelet donations.

The requirements for this type of donation are:

• Male: Must be at least 17 years of age, 5'1" tall, and weigh at least 130 lbs
• Female: Must be at least 19 years of age, 5'5" tall, and weigh at least 150 lbs
• Must have a hemoglobin level of at least 13.3 g/dL (this will be tested prior to donation)

Diversify Our Blood Supply!

There is a significant need to diversify the blood supply in order to help everyone who needs a blood transfusion. Students who self-identify as Black or African American can make a big difference in helping us find as close a match as possible for patients who suffer from sickle cell. Many of them may require regular blood transfusions and finding as close a match as possible is vital to our overall mission.

Please ensure that a parent or guardian has filled out the Parental Consent Form. Bring a copy with you to your appointment. Register for your appointment using the legal name on your ID card, as this will be used to verify identity. Keep in mind that the entire donation process may take up to 45-60 minutes, though the actual donation (or "needle" time) is only 8-10 minutes.