(Clive, Iowa) November 17, 2020 — While COVID-19 has put a damper on many of our social events, it has also threatened to leave Iowa with a critical shortage of blood donations. Since March, at least 500 blood drives for LifeServe Blood Centers across the state have been canceled, resulting in the loss of more than 13,000 blood donations. To put that in perspective: a single trauma victim can use 50 units or more during their critical time of need.

To help encourage more blood donations as we head into the holidays, pig farmers from around the state have made a commitment to help LifeServe. Eleven county pork producer groups and the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) are donating $6500 in pork coupons to donors who visit 32 sponsored donor sites in Iowa during the week of Nov. 23.

County pork organizations and the donor sites where they will provide pork coupons are:

The sites where IPPA is providing pork coupons are: Ankeny (2 locations), Baxter, Belmond, Centerville, Charles City, Decorah, Des Moines, Granger, Klemme, Manning, Mason City, Milo, Pella, Perry, Seymour, Urbandale, and West Des Moines.

For more details on specific site locations, hours of operations, and how to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.lifeservebloodcenter.org/about-us/hours-locations/