Easter Blood Drive

Ottawa & across Canada –

Join the drive in 2025!

You can help save lives this year

Did you know…

the Easter Blood Drive is one of the Top Ranked Partner Teams in Ottawa for units collected. THANK YOU to all our members!

Our goal for 2025 is 500 donations – will you join us?

BE A BLOOD DONOR

Why Should I Give? CHRI interview with Canadian Blood Services

Learn how you can overcome the barriers to giving

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Blood PLASMA? Another Way You Can Help Save Lives

Canadian Blood Services explains the emerging priority of blood plasma

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Our Sponsors:

Join the Easter Blood Drive in 4 Steps:

STEP 1:

Create or Sign in to your personal donor account with Canadian Blood Services on your computer (BUTTON BELOW) or on your mobile device through the GiveBlood app for Apple or Android.

STEP 2:

In your account, click on the “Join a Team” button. Type in and/or select the “Easter Blood Drive” team. This way, any donation of blood products you make will count towards the Easter Blood Drive team goal.

STEP 3:

Book your appointment to donate blood or plasma or platelets. We invite you to book an appointment during our special drive week each year before Easter. However, you can donate anytime that is convenient for you.

STEP 4:

Share your contact information with your Easter Blood Drive champion for future contact.

For church leaders and champions, please encourage your congregation to participate by donating blood products, time, and/or money, and through prayer. Please help to promote in your church and in your sphere of influence.

If you have questions about the Easter Blood Drive, please use the “Contact Us” tab.

If you have questions about how to give blood or plasma, or eligibility, please consult the Canadian Blood Services website by clicking HERE.

CREATE OR SIGN IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES

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We believe that God wants us to respond to this emerging critical need in the society by mobilizing churches, family and friends to donate to Canadian Blood Services.

Jesus shed His blood for us, and now it is our turn, in appreciation of His sacrifice.

Blood

It is a central concept in our Christian faith. We are especially mindful of it at Easter when we reflect on the suffering and death of our Saviour Jesus: “In him we have redemption through his blood” (Ephesians 1:7).

Medical Needs

It is also a key medical need. You do not have to look far, perhaps in your own family, to find someone who needed blood during a health crisis. It may have even saved their life.

Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) of Ottawa has recently been appealing for help to rebuild its donor base for blood and blood products.

Organized By

The Easter Blood Drive volunteer team in partnership with Canadian Blood Services and sponsored by CHRI Christian Radio and Love Ottawa.

Join our Easter Blood Drive by registering through the Canadian Blood Services

REGISTER HERE

Find out more how you or your group can participate

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why should Christians get involved in this initiative?

Blood donation has practical and theological significance for us as Christians. Jesus shed His blood for us some 2,000 years ago, which the church worldwide celebrates at Easter. Donating blood or plasma is a response to His love for us. Blood is essential to life. Giving blood or plasma is a unique gift of physical life and health to the stranger in need, and there is a constant need to recruit more donors and to boost donations, says Canadian Blood Services. The Easter Blood Drive initiative allows us to show God’s love and compassion to our fellow citizens, acting in unity as the Christian church

There are a variety of ways to be involved, including donating blood or plasma, making a financial donation or volunteering to serve at a local donation centre.

2. If someone or an entire church wants to get involved, how do they do so?

Individuals must set up a blood donor account on the Canadian Blood Services website. Using this link will help connect them to the Easter Blood Drive team: https://myaccount.blood.ca/en/join-team/ONEW0108432.

They can confirm that they are registered with the Easter Blood Drive by clicking on the “Join a Team” button in their account and typing in “Easter Blood Drive”. Once registered, their donation of blood or blood products will count towards the campaign team goal.

Churches can request a block of appointments, (e.g. Saturday, March 23, 10:30 am – 11:30 AM) by contacting the organizers at info@easterblooddrive.ca.

3. Do people have to be screened? If so how will I know that I am eligible?

Yes, potential donors are screened. This is because Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has strict guidelines to ensure the high quality and safety of Canada’s blood supply. Various factors determine eligibility, including (but not limited to) a person’s age, weight, medications, medical conditions, pregnancy, and whether they travelled within certain timeframes to certain countries. These criteria are periodically updated, so if you are motivated to donate but were told or learned years ago that you were not eligible, do not assume that is still the case. You can find information about eligibility, including a two-minute eligibility quiz here, or call CBS at 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) to check.

If you are determined to be ineligible, Canadian Blood Services suggests that people who want to support Canada’s blood supply but are not eligible to donate blood or plasma instead consider making a financial donation or volunteering to serve at a local donation centre.

4. How many churches do you hope to involve?

Our goal is to mobilize as many churches and individual Christians as we can. The need for blood and plasma is great, but with God, we can make a great difference. While we are called the Easter Blood Drive, and have a targeted donation drive at Easter, our year-round efforts encourage members to donate at any time of year. All donations count toward that year’s team total.

5. What promotions are you asking the churches to do?

We encourage interested churches to promote the campaign in church bulletins or newsletters, in announcements or on-screen. We would be pleased to share materials with you for this purpose or arrange for an Easter Blood Drive team member to speak briefly, meet after the service, answer questions and hand out material. Simply contact us at info@easterblooddrive.ca. Schedules permitting, we may be able to arrange for a representative of Canadian Blood Services to come and speak or set up an information table.

6. Can someone outside of Ottawa join the Easter Blood Drive team and donate?

Yes. For rural residents near Ottawa, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has a mobile blood donation clinic that travels to specific locations on a regular schedule. You can find out the schedule to donate as an individual or mobilize your church community to donate.

We are also excited that the Easter Blood Drive is expanding! We are working on launching the Blood Drive in the Greater Toronto Area with a second Easter Blood Drive team called Easter Blood Drive Toronto. Donors living in or near GTA can join the Toronto team through the Partners for Life portal of the CBS website or GiveBlood app, then book their donation(s) at a local donation centre or at a community donation clinic. Donations from all Easter Blood Drive teams will count toward a national total for this initiative. There is strength in numbers.

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