With the United States in the midst of an emergency blood shortage, the American Red Cross Club of the Claremont Colleges is ramping up its efforts to increase donations on campus. While the club had over 60 people sign up to donate blood at its Sept. 12 drive, it is still actively recruiting new donors for the future.
In January, the American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage, reportedly seeing the lowest number of people giving blood in the past twenty years. Then, six months later, their inventory plummeted by 25%, warranting another emergency declaration.
According to the Red Cross, the drop in donations is due in part to climate change, citing heat waves and hurricanes that make it more difficult for donors to get to donation sites.
“Effects of the ongoing climate crisis continue to threaten the blood supply in the days and weeks ahead,” their site reads.
The Red Cross Club at the 5Cs is not lying idle during this shortage. Ava Santos-Volpe PO ’26, who organizes blood drives through the club, said that the Sept. 12 drive had one of the highest numbers of sign-ups that she’s ever seen.
Santos-Volpe noted that the club even had to request extra lighting and chairs for the drive, which was held in Pomona College’s Dom’s Lounge.
The club is also planning three more drives on Nov. 16, Feb. 6 and April 3. There are currently only two people organizing the blood drives, so Santos-Volpe said that they are actively looking for people who are able and willing to help out. They are also looking for more donors.
Santos-Volpe herself donated blood for the first time when she came to Pomona.
“I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was a great way to help other people,” she said.
Stephanie Granobles PO ’27 had a similarly positive experience
She admitted that she was initially reluctant to donate blood because of the needles, but said that ultimately, her experience was overall positive.
“Having people working here that are very kind is very helpful, I think, especially at the beginning,” she said. “They want to talk to you about your personal life and ask you questions about yourself, [which] eased my nerves a lot.”
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