Update: The June blood drive program drew nearly 9,500 donors, including 812 first-time donors, and collected enough blood donations to help nearly 27,600 patients, Stewart’s Shops said on July 21.
For the ninth straight year, Stewart’s Shops is running its Give a Pint, Get a Pint promotion to improve the supply of blood for those in need.
“Summer is a time when blood donations slow down, yet the need for blood donations doesn’t take a summer vacation,” the Ballston Spa, New York-based convenience-store chain said on its website.
To combat this, Stewart’s Shops, which recently debuted five new ice cream flavors, is treating Red Cross blood donors to free pints of ice cream as a part of its Give a Pint, Get a Pint program.
For the month of June, donors at blood drives across Upstate New York will get a voucher for a free pint of Stewart’s Shop’s ice cream or gelato, the company said. Vouchers can be redeemed at any Stewart’s Shops' more than 350 locations.
“Every day, the Red Cross must collect enough blood to meet the needs of accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or sickle cell disease,” Stewart’s Shops said. “Someone needs blood every two seconds.”
- Stewart’s Shops is No. 23 on CSP’s 2024 Top 40 Update to the 2023 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. Watch for the full 2024 Top 202 ranking in the June issue of CSP magazine and in CSP Daily News.
To kick off the campaign and highlight the need for blood donors, Stewart’s Shops on June 1 gave out free ice cream at the Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Albany, New York.
Gary Dake, Stewart’s Shops president, was on hand and donated blood on the Red Cross’s new Next Generation Blood Mobile.
“If Stewart’s ice cream can encourage people to donate blood, we think that’s pretty sweet,” Dake said. “We are proud to partner with the Red Cross for the past eight years to increase blood donations and raise awareness on the importance of donating. We hope that everyone that is able to donate will ‘Give a Pint and Get a Pint’ in June.”
40% of Nation’s Blood
The Red Cross provides about 40% of the nation’s blood and blood components, all from volunteer donors, Stewart’s Shops said.
“But supply can’t always meet demand because only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly,” the company said. “Each new donor helps meet patient needs. The Red Cross is looking for donations from people of all backgrounds to meet collection needs.”
Kevin Coffey, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Eastern New York Region, said that Stewart’s Shops’ commitment to highlighting the need for blood is “extraordinary.”
“When summer hits, our blood donations typically slow down, yet the need for blood is constant,” he said. “Give A Pint, Get A Pint is a great way to remind people that their donation could save a life while getting thanked with the ultimate summer treat, ice cream.”
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