Junior League Hosts Life-Saving Blood Drive in Northport

Thursday, September 18, is Find the Good Day, an initiative that brings together over 290 Junior Leagues worldwide to spread kindness and serve their communities.

The Junior League of Tuscaloosa (JLT) will honor Find the Good Day by hosting a community blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross and the City of Northport.

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The Find the Good Day Blood Drive event will take place on Thursday, September 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Northport Civic Center inside City Hall.

Did you know that “Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood,” said the American Red Cross. “One donation can help save more than one life.”

JLT aims to highlight the urgent need for blood donations in Alabama and nationwide, while also raising awareness about Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

“Find the Good Day is about turning compassion into action,” said Danielle Kimbrough Spikes, President of the Junior League of Tuscaloosa. “Blood donation is one of the most immediate, impactful ways our community can save lives. By rolling up your sleeve, you are finding the good for someone in need right here in West Alabama.”

A Meaningful Link: Sickle Cell Awareness Month

The Find the Good Day Blood Drive also aligns with Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the United States, and more than 90% are non-Hispanic Black or African American.”

Diagnosed with sickle cell disease at just two weeks old, Junior League of Tuscaloosa member Jori Smith knows firsthand that blood donation can be life-saving. “At age 13, she experienced a severe pain crisis and acute chest syndrome that required her first blood transfusion,” said the press release.

“The blood transfusion was the key element to turning my prognosis around for the better. I could almost instantly feel the improvement afterward,” Smith recalled.

Smith advocates tirelessly for those living with sickle cell disease as co-founder of the Sick of It Foundation.

“I want people to understand how strong sickle cell warriors are,” she said. “We face so many obstacles in life, yet the strength we possess to persevere is something special.”

How to Participate

Community members are encouraged to sign up in advance online or walk in on Thursday, September 18, from Noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Northport Civic Center, located inside City Hall.

JLT encourages donors to share their experience of finding the good on social media using #FindTheGoodDay and #JLTuscaloosa.

For more information about the Junior League of Tuscaloosa and Find the Good Day,  visit jltuscaloosa.org.