MBC’s Annual Fund is the backbone of our fund development initiatives. This fund provides support beyond our annual budget. It provides the organization with the flexibility to allocate resources toward our most immediate needs, which allows us to provide the greatest impact on our community. Funding is needed here to deliver what matters most to our generous blood donors, blood drive sponsors, hospital and clinic partners, and others throughout the healthcare industry.
In the last five years, we’ve seen a 10% decrease in blood donations from 16-18 years old, and a 15% decrease from individuals 19-24 years old. High schools, colleges, and the education sectors play a crucial role in supporting the local and national blood supply, which is why MBC is dedicated to educating and inspiring the youth community to become the next generation of blood donors and scientific leaders.
Your financial donation goes directly towards making a local and national impact in the youth community by enabling us to provide scholarship and leadership opportunities for students. Our scholarships and seminars foster leadership skills through volunteerism and community service, and exposure to STEM careers shaping the landscape of global healthcare and scientific discovery.
Since the pandemic, blood donor behavior has shifted; previously, 70% of our blood collections came from community blood drives, with 30% from donor centers. We are now collecting about 50% from community blood drives and 50% in donor centers. Your financial donation will support the procurement of additional donor sites and upgrades to current centers.
With the community’s support, we can establish fixed sites in high-traffic areas around the Greater Kansas City Metro. A donated location with the opportunity for a long-term lease is optimal. However, individual and corporate donations are also crucial and will help us maintain and expand these fixed blood donor sites through building upgrades, signage, privacy screens, underwriting, naming rights, and sponsorships.
Buses allow us to serve communities that may not have a physical location to host a blood drive or to help us host smaller drives. Your gift toward a Donor Bus will allow MBC to provide access to an expanded population and diverse neighborhoods. Our buses can be branded with sponsor logos, showcasing the sponsor’s commitment to public health and blood science in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
