Donors Sought Due To Critical Need For Blood Across Long Island: NYBC

ELMONT, NY — While Long Island is no longer facing a blood emergency, there remains a critical need for donors as the summer winds down.

The New York Blood Center (NYBC) is trying to find unique ways to get people to help the cause. For example, a blood drive/giveaway was held this week in conjunction with the Islanders.

At Wednesday's drive, all blood donors received a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a game during the 2025-2026 season.

"Throughout the summer, because our high schools and colleges are out, and that is about 25 percent of our blood donations, we are very low," said Michele Lariviere, NYBC's senior director of donor recruitment.

While all blood types are sought, there is an even more urgent need for O-negative (universal donor) and B-negative.

"O-negative is our most needed type all year round, and particularly in the summer, the supply becomes quite low," Lariviere said.

The NYBC runs drives in the summer to replenish the blood for any urgent situations.

"Quite honest, summer is trauma season," Lariviere told Patch. "There's an increase in the number of accidents because there are more people on the road. The need for blood can go up, and donations have a tendency to go down in the summer."

Between 1,800 and 2,200 pints of blood are required to supply patients at area hospitals each day.

Islanders fans have another opportunity to give blood and receive tickets to a game at UBS Arena. On Thursday, August 28, the blood drive and ticket giveaway take place at Roosevelt Field from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The New York Blood Center is also planning a future blood drive at UBS Arena this winter.

You can check the NYBC website for other area blood drives.

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh over 110 pounds and be in good overall health. Anyone more than 75 years old needs a doctor's note to state they are healthy.

"We are in need of people to come out and donate," Lariviere reiterated.