Blood Assurance is partnering up with One Generation Away to help victims of both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton through a community-wide food drive. The nonprofit blood center is inviting donors and the public to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items to any of its donation centers.

“We are proud to partner with One Generation Away, an organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity and disaster relief,” said Garry Allison, Senior Vice President of Operations for Blood Assurance. “At Blood Assurance, we are more than a blood supplier—we are a community partner, and this is one more way we can give back.”

Items needed:

•       Canned Green Beans

•       Canned Corn

•       Mac and Cheese

•       Peanut Butter

•       Boxed/Bagged Cereal

•       Canned Tuna/Chicken

•       Spaghetti Sauce (plastic container)

•       Can Openers

These items will be distributed to families affected by both storms through One Generation Away’s disaster relief efforts. Donors can bring these goods to any Blood Assurance center during normal business hours. Our centers are located in downtown Nashville, Bellevue, Hermitage, Franklin, Columbia, Clarksville, Tullahoma and Cookeville.

Donors who give blood, plasma, or platelets through Oct. 15 will be entered to win a Solo Stove Yukon 2.0. Those who give between Oct. 16-31 will receive a pair of “Spooky Donor” socks.

From now through the end of the year we are also doing a special e-gift card giveaway for O-Negative red blood cell donors and AB-Plasma donors:

•       O-Negative whole blood donors will receive a $25 e-gift card.

•       O-Negative double red donors will receive a $40 e-gift card.

Important: This promotion applies only to red blood cell (RBC) donations and does not include O-negative platelet or plasma donations.

•       AB-Plasma donors will receive a $25 e-gift card per donation.

All blood types are needed, and Blood Assurance encourages everyone who is eligible to donate. To schedule your donation, visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule, call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777.

Tullahoma residents can schedule an appointment at the Blood Assurance at 604 N. Jackson St. near Walgreens by calling 931- 461-5773. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

To be eligible to donate, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids and eat a hearty meal prior to donating. 

About Blood Assurance

Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving more than 70 health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina. Founded in 1972 as a joint effort of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council and the Chattanooga Jaycees, the mission of Blood Assurance is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components to every area patient in need.

About One Generation Away

One Generation Away is a non-profit organization committed to eliminating hunger by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need. They provide crucial food support to families affected by food insecurity and disaster situations across the country.