In March, Iowa American Water was one of the major sponsors of a blood drive hosted by United Way and the African American Leadership Society in cooperation with the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC).
The drive was held on Saturday, March 13 at the Lincoln School Center in Davenport.
The purpose of this blood drive was to increase Black and Brown donors in the Quad Cities. Current donation rations for African Americans are only 1.98%. “The community has a high demand for Black blood donors to support sickle cell patients as well as COVID-19 patients – and we encouraged anyone who can to do their part to save lives in as little as a few minutes,” said Randy Moore, Tri-Chair of AALS and President of Iowa American Water.
With the drive, organizers hoped to spread the importance of blood donation but also increase awareness about the African American Leadership Society, an organization formed under the umbrella of the United Way of the Quad Cities. It is made up of local people linked by a common interest of harnessing the power of philanthropy to improve life outcomes of our region’s African American young people.