Our Blood Institute Offers Incentives For Blood Donations During Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for giving, and according to Our Blood Institute, it’s also a crucial time to donate blood.

The need for blood donations is high year-round. Still, Liv Walbeck from OBI said the holidays often see a significant drop in donations due to busy schedules and seasonal distractions.

“Every day, all year, people across the country need blood,” Walbeck said. “Only 1 in 3 people donate blood, but 60% of the country is eligible, so there’s a big gap there, and we need more people.”

Walbeck explained that during the holidays, people are often preoccupied with celebrations, travel, and family gatherings, which leads to fewer donations.\

In the past two years, the institute has had to issue emergency appeals to encourage donations, a situation they hope to avoid this year.

“If people come in this week, next week, and as much as they can leading into the holiday and New Year, then we’ll be good, and everyone will have the blood they need,” she said.

Walbeck emphasized the unique impact of blood donation during the holiday season.

“Everyone’s looking to give back, whether that’s monetarily or with their time, but there’s nothing like giving the gift of life,” she said.

Incentives for Donors

To encourage donations, Our Blood Institute is offering a variety of promotions:

1. Butterball Coupons: Through Friday, donors will receive a $15 grocery coupon redeemable at any store.
2. Movie Tickets: On Dec. 23 and 24, donors will receive a ticket valid at any Fandango Theater.
3. Rain Donor T-Shirts: Until Christmas Eve, donors can get a t-shirt with a creative holiday twist—“Instead of Donner, it’s donor,” Walbeck said.
4. Sweatshirts: After Christmas, donors can receive an exclusive Our Blood Institute sweatshirt, a first-time offering.

In addition to these gifts, all donors will enjoy complimentary snacks, including favorites like Nutter Butters and Oreos.

Upcoming Events

The institute is also hosting Thunder Blood Drives on Dec. 27. Donors at these events will receive a voucher for one ticket to an Oklahoma City Thunder game.

“You can donate at any center across Oklahoma, but the Thunder blood drives are a great opportunity to give back and get something special in return,” Walbeck said.