For more than 20 years, St. John’s University has worked with the New York Blood Center (NYBC) to organize on-campus blood drives that benefit patients throughout the New York City area. The most recent event, held on November 13 and sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, resulted in 90 pints collected. This brought the university’s total donations to over 15,000 pints since its partnership with NYBC began.

NYBC officials stated that these contributions have helped an estimated 45,000 patients over the course of the collaboration. The latest drive took place at the D’Angelo Center and included volunteers from both the St. John’s Red Cross Club chapter and Lambda Pi Chi Sorority.

The milestone comes as NYBC reports a significant shortage of blood supplies in the region. According to NYBC, there is currently only a three-day supply of O-positive and O-negative blood available—types which are most needed for emergency care. In October 2025, regional donations dropped by 11 percent compared to previous months, with hospitals seeing high demand but receiving about 1,000 fewer donations per week.

St. John’s holds multiple blood drives each semester to make it easier for students, faculty, administration, and staff to participate in donation efforts. The university says it remains committed to its partnership with NYBC and supporting local health needs.

NYBC recognized St. John’s contributions during this period of shortage as well as throughout their longstanding relationship.

“St. John’s has been an exceptional partner to NYBC for two decades—raising awareness; collecting an exceptional 15,000 units of blood; mobilizing young donors; and playing an essential role in meeting the region’s critical need for blood, especially during challenging times,” said Jeannie Mascolino, Vice President, Regional Operations at New York Blood Center. “We are grateful and congratulate St. John’s on the milestone.”

NYBC has operated in the tristate area for over sixty years and provides more than 500,000 pints of blood annually to over 150 healthcare partners across the region. The organization notes that donations from younger people—including college-age students—are increasingly important because fewer donors under age thirty are participating compared to previous years.

Student leaders were instrumental in organizing St. John’s November drive: members of the Red Cross Club distributed flyers around campus buildings and used social media outreach while Lambda Pi Chi assisted on site and promoted participation across campus.

Nadira Hussain, a student representative from the Red Cross Club said: “We worked closely with our partners, including Lambda Pi Chi, to plan, promote, and engage students across campus,” she explained. “Many students felt encouraged to donate after learning that a single donation can save up to three lives. These drives matter because hospitals and patients rely on a consistent blood supply.”