Jun 17, 2021 Hospitals in Urgent Need of Blood Donations

RWJBarnabas Health Makes Call for Blood Donations as COVID-19 Affected Donor Rates

West Orange, NJ, June 17, 2021– RWJBarnabas Health urges everyone to donate blood and other blood products such as platelets and plasma to overcome a national blood shortage. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing that was required to slow the spread of infections, there has been a significant drop in blood donations and the nation’s hospitals and blood centers are experiencing a severe blood shortage.

“As hospital needs outpace blood donations, the state’s blood supply is rapidly depleting,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Blood Services Business Development Liaison. “While COVID-19 conditions continue to improve, the need for blood never ends. Our hospitals rely on the support of individuals to provide much of the blood we use and our primary blood suppliers need your help now to address a severe blood shortage and to avoid delays in lifesaving medical care for patients in need.”

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

Here’s how you can donate:

Schedule an appointment at one of our Blood Centers.

RWJBH has two fixed locations, one at RWJUH, located on the 4th floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building (CAB) at 125 Paterson Street in New Brunswick and one at RWJUH Somerset, located at 110 Rehill Avenue, Somerville, NJ 08876. Both Centers are open Monday - Saturday.

To make an appointment at a fixed RWJBH Blood Center sites and or to find a blood drive location near you, please visit: https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org. Additional blood drives may be accessed at the following sites:

Both the American Red Cross and the New York Blood Center supply blood/blood products to hospitals across the state.

Attend a local blood drive.

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

  • Saturday, June 19th from 9:30am-3pm
    Mohawk Lodge #307
    1357 West 3rd Street, Plainfield, NJ
  • Wednesday, June 23rd from 10:00am-6:30pm
    Community Medical Center
    67 Rt. 27 West, Toms River, NJ
  • Monday, June 28th from 11:30am-5:30pm
    St. Peter’s University Hospital
    254 Easton Ave, New Brunswick
     
  • Wednesday, July 1st from 2pm-7:30pm
    Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus
    198 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ
     
  • Wednesday, July 7th from 11:30am-5:30pm
    RWJUH Campus & Community, Admin Building
    1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ
     
  • Saturday, July 10th from 8am-2:30pm
    Community Medical Center
    67 Rt. 37 West, Toms River, NJ
     
  • Thursday, July 15th, from 11:30am-5:30pm
    Livingston Community Senior Center
    204 hillside Ave, Livingston, NJ
     
  • Tuesday, July 20th from 10:30am-4:30pm
    RWJUH Rahway
    865 Stone Street, Rahway
     
  • Wednesday, July 21st from 12:30pm-6:30pm
    Brunswick Square Mall
    755, NJ 18, East Brunswick, NJ
     
  • Saturday, July 24th from 8:30am-2:30pm
    Secaucus Police Department
    1200 Koelle Blvd, Secaucus, NJ
     
  • Tuesday, July 27th from 1:00pm-7:00pm
    Palace at Somerset Park
    333 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ
     
  • Tuesday, August 3rd from 10:00am-4:00pm
    Saint Barnabas Medical Center
    94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ
     
  • Thursday, August 5th from 10:00am-3:30pm
    Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
    201 Lyons Ave, Newark, NJ
     
  • Thursday, August 5th from 12:00pm-6:00pm
    Piscataway Community River Road Rescue Squad
    101 Shirley Parkway, Piscataway, NJ
     
  • Tuesday, August 10th from 12:30pm-6:00pm
    Monmouth Medical Center
    300 2nd Avenue, Long Branch, NJ
     
  • Wednesday, August 11th from 12:30pm-6:30pm
    Monmouth University Student Center
    400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch
     
  • Saturday, August 14th from 8:00am-2:30pm
    Community Medical Center
    67 Rt. 37 West, Toms River, NJ
     
  • Tuesday, August 17th from 12:00pm-6:00pm
    Trenton Thunder Arm & Hammer Park
    1 Thunder Road, Trenton
     
  • Wednesday, August 18th
    RWJUH Hamilton, 1 Hamilton Health Place
    Hamilton, NJ
     
  • Thursday, August 19th from 2:00pm-8:00pm
    Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus
    600 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ

Donors must be at least 16-years old (under 18 with parental permission) and weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16-years old). Donors must also 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, as well as strict sanitary protocols including disinfection of donor areas. Donors must also wear masks and face coverings.

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

ABOUT RWJBARNABAS HEALTH
RWJBarnabas Health is the most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering nine counties with five million people. The system includes eleven acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway and Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, three acute care children’s hospitals and a leading pediatric rehabilitation hospital with a network of outpatient centers, a freestanding 100-bed behavioral health center, two trauma centers, a satellite emergency department, ambulatory care centers, geriatric centers, the state’s largest behavioral health network, comprehensive home care and hospice programs, fitness and wellness centers, retail pharmacy services, affiliated medical groups, multi-site imaging centers and two accountable care organizations.

RWJBH is New Jersey’s largest private employer – with more than 33,000 employees, 9,000 physicians and 1,000 residents and interns – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBH recently announced an affiliation with Rutgers University to create New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration will align RWJBH with Rutgers’ education, research and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. For more information, visit www.rwjbh.org.