NY Blood Center's 2nd Annual 'Pint For Pint' With 60+ Breweries

NEW YORK — There are plenty of reasons to raise a pint this summer, but for those who take the time to potentially save lives, that drink might be on the house.

The New York Blood Center (NYBC) is kicking off its second annual "Pint for Pint" campaign on August 1, where all presenting blood donors will receive a voucher to redeem a free or discounted beverage at their local participating establishment through September 10.

The "Pint for Pint" program has doubled in size and more than 60 establishments are participating in the initiative across the region. A full list of NYBC’s partners can be found here. All donor centers and most blood drives are participating in the campaign. Blood donors cannot redeem their voucher on the day of their donation.

The NYBC says that the annual campaign aims to motivate blood donors to come out in the summer season as August is a historically challenging time for the blood supply as schools are closed and families go on vacation. Blood donations in the area have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels as fewer schools, businesses and organizations are hosting blood drives. The blood supply currently stands at a 3-4-day level, with type O- especially in demand.

"The 'Pint for Pint' campaign began when New York’s restaurant industry was suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic and despite their hardships, breweries supported New York Blood Center by donating beverages to get more New Yorkers to donate blood," Andrea Cefarelli, Senior VP of the NYBC, said. "We were grateful for their support then and we continue to be in awe of their generosity today. We urge donors to take advantage of this fun summer campaign that allows them to save lives and support local businesses."

You can make an appointment at a blood drive near you by calling 1-800-933-2566 or visiting the NYBC website. If you are unable to donate blood, you can still support NYBC’s mission by texting 'NYBC' to '20222' to donate $25.