Furthering a connection which has lasted since the late 1800s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating $5.1 million to the American Red Cross.
The funding will support blood donation programs and others efforts, such as advancing sickle cell disease treatment.
“Through our collaboration, we are increasing blood donations, advancing sickle cell disease treatment and strengthening our ability to bless millions of lives,” said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of the church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, in a Thursday press release.
“By uniting our efforts, we extend the Savior’s love to those in need.”
The donation will help provide additional blood collection equipment, including platelet collection devices, red blood cell collection machines and equipment for new donor centers. It will also help support blood donor recruitment for sickle cell disease treatment, increasing the number of compatible units of blood available for patients with sickle cell disease, according to the release.
Heidi Ruster, CEO of the American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region, explained the church’s donation will aid Red Cross efforts and initiatives in Utah and across the United States.
“But this collaboration goes far beyond funding,” she added. “It’s a testament to our shared dedication to serving and supporting those in need.”
The church’s connection with the American Red Cross dates back to the late 1800s when American Red Cross founder Clara Barton and Emmeline B. Wells of the church’s Relief Society began corresponding about humanitarian aid during the Spanish-American War, according to the release.
Since then, the church — having hosted its first blood drive in 1996 — has become the largest single contributor to American Red Cross blood drives.
“Annually, Latter-day Saints donate approximately 97,000 units of blood during thousands of drives,” the release states, adding that in the past three decades, the American Red Cross has collected more than 1 million units through some 37,000 drives hosted by the church.
Other contributions made by the church to the American Red Cross have included mobilizing thousands of volunteers and providing items such as disaster relief kits since 2017.
