Magazines 2023 May - Jun Organizing a blood donation drive at Easter

Organizing a blood donation drive at Easter

28 April 2023

Church in Community

Creative ways to love our neighbours

THE CHURCH

Emmanuel Alliance Church, Ottawa

THE CHALLENGE

Meeting a community’s critical shortage of blood for emergency transfusions

THE COST

Volunteer time (and, for those who can donate, 480 mL of blood or a donation of plasma/platelets)

Organizer Edward Ng explains:

When I heard how the pandemic has reduced the donor base and blood supply at Canadian Blood Services to its lowest levels in a decade, I thought this was a need Christians can help address. All of us have neighbours and friends who have needed surgery or cancer treatment, or been hurt in an accident.

Not everyone is able to give actual blood, but we can all support this kind of giving in various ways. About 20 years ago I was involved in a congregational blood drive among a group of about eight Chinese churches, so I had a basic idea how such a campaign could work.

There are amazing resources available from Canadian Blood Services. They are ready to sign up and support any group that wants to promote donation, whether through an annual campaign or year-round.

On the Blood.ca website you can read about the annual campaign held by Sikh religious communities that started in British Columbia and has now spread across Canada. If they can do it in a united way, I pray Christians might do even more. That’s my big dream – having churches nationwide participating. But to start it can just be local.

Christians anywhere in Canada can start a campaign.

edward ng kicks off the easter blood drive at emmanuel alliance church in ottawa

This year in Ottawa we are starting what can become an annual campaign for churches to promote giving blood the week before Easter.

Christians anywhere in Canada can start a campaign. This first year in Ottawa, we have received fabulous support from two Christian organizations. One Way Ministries is an interchurch network that dates back to when Billy Graham visited our city. And CHRI-FM 99.1 is our city’s Christian radio station.

The radio station is promoting the event regularly during its broadcasts and will send its Fun Team to bring music, games and prizes to the Carling Donation Centre on the last day of the donation week.

One Way Ministries set up a special webpage where people can register for a donation of blood, plasma or platelets (BloodDrive.LoveOttawa.ca).

Our Easter Blood Drive core group held advance information sessions online with representatives from Canadian Blood Services so local Christians and church leaders could ask questions. Health requirements for blood donation are also explained at the Blood.ca website.

So far we are connecting mainly with Protestant churches in Ottawa, and I am using my contacts with Chinese churches in other cities to encourage them to consider a blood drive in the future.

But this campaign is for anyone. Even those ineligible to donate blood can work as volunteers and help promote the campaign among friends and neighbours. Anyone can pray for the campaign.

What a great opportunity to stand up as Easter people to demonstrate God’s love in a practical way.

→ Do you have a story to share about your church’s community outreach? Contact editor@FaithToday.ca. Read more stories like this at FaithToday.ca/CiC. Reach Edward Ng through the Contact Us button at BloodDrive.LoveOttawa.ca.