To aid those in need, ABC11 partnered with the American Red Cross and the stations of Radio One Raleigh for the ABC11 Together Blood Drive on January 13. The drives were held at the Crabtree Marriott in Raleigh and the Woodpeckers Stadium VIP Lounge in Fayetteville. Hundreds of people participated, over half of which were first-time donors. With each donation saving up to three lives, the day resulted in the ability to help over 1000 people in need. Having a diverse donor base also helped find 28 matches to aid sickle cell patients.
However, the need is still great. In just over a span of three months last year, the Red Cross experienced a cancellation loss of nearly 37,000 blood drives due to COVID-19 closings. Add to the fact that every 2 seconds someone needs a blood transfusion due to an accident, illness, or injury and the need is evident.