PHOENIX — Vitalant, a nonprofit specializing in blood and biotherapies, is hosting the Saving Arizona Blood Drive on Sunday in Tempe and is seeking at least 600 donors.
The blood drive will run from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tempe Center for the Arts, which is located at 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy.
“This week is the lowest week of the summer for blood donations,” Vitalant communications manager Sue Thew told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday. “So, we’re urging all Arizona residents to take an hour out of their weekend plans to give blood and help us prevent a blood shortage emergency.”
Who can donate at the Vitalant blood drive?
According to Thew, donors need to be at least 16 years old, 110 pounds and be in general good health, meaning they aren’t suffering from any illness or infection.
There are over 400 appointments open for the blood drive.
Appointments can be made on Vitalant’s website. Thew noted that donors who use the code “SUMMER20-2025-V” when scheduling will receive a $20 Vitalant rewards gift card.
Every donor who attends the blood drive will be offered their choice of a T-shirt or tank top with the words “Sun’s Up, Sleeves Up” that will be mailed to them.
“Vitalant has (also) partnered with the Valley Volkswagen dealers. They’ve donated a brand new Taos S to be raffled off amongst summer blood donors, but one of the 10 finalists for that car will come just from Sunday’s Saving Arizona Blood Drive at the Tempe Center for the Arts,” Thew said. “It’s your absolute best odds of winning a car.”
According to Thew, Vitalant is the designated nonprofit blood provider for every single hospital in Maricopa County. She noted that more than 600 donors are needed every single day.
“It’s especially problematic this time of the year, because while many regular donors are on vacation, there are more people traveling the roads and highways, which creates a greater potential for accidents as well as a greater potential for the need for blood,” Thew said.
KTAR NEWS 92.3 FM’s Heidi Hommel contributed to this report.
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