INSIGHTS

Every year less than four percent of New Jersey residents donate blood. With a 15-year low in blood donations, the American Red Cross turned to the New Jersey Blood Donor Coalition.  As one the Coalition’s 13 partners, the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey wanted to spur its 1,700 members to hold  employee blood drives. The Chamber turned to the Agency for a recommendation on how to rally business owners around the public health crisis.  The Agency:

• Suggested kicking off the public affairs effort with a high energy Chamber Town Hall meeting.
• Solicited media coverage of the Town Hall as a vehicle to further spread the word for the need for companies to host critical workplace blood drives.

Our Results

The Camden Courier-Post splashed the words ‘Blood Drought’ and a photo from the Town Hall meeting on its front page. In four broadcast segments, South Jersey employers were urged to host blood drives. Two online news sites also featured the Town Hall photo. Best of all, five South Jersey businesses hosted employee blood drives where 182 pints of blood were collected, enough to save the lives of 300 people.[award]Pepperpot Winner[/award]