Blood donations will be made in honor of Dr. King, the civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1968, and the donations also increase the incidence of blood donation among people who have been non-donors, historically. Blood donations by African Americans have increased by 300% in the Inland Empire, as a result of the Martin Luther King Day blood drive.. Moreover the event helps to keep alive the memory of Dr. King for generations who were not born when the he was martyred.
All four official blood bank sites, flying the Blood of the Martyrs banner, will be staffed by volunteers who will encourage sign-ups prior to the holiday and recruit walk-ins to donate in honor of Dr. King. Sites will be open on varying schedules but volunteers will be there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other sites, such as churches, will be serviced by LifeStream mobile units.
For donors who cannot donate on the holiday, the drive will continue for the balance of the month of January at the official sites.
Members of the coalition that is offering the blood drive include fraternal, religious and service organizations in the Inland Empire such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inland Empire Black Nurses, Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary, St. Anthony Catholic Church, San Bernardino; Eccelesia Community Church and the National Council of Negro Women, both the Inland Empire Section and the Victorville Section.
For more information, and directions please call the number of various sites:
San Bernardino 384 W. Orange Show Road: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 909-885-6503
Riverside, 4006 Van Buren Blvd.: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 951-687-2530
Ontario, 1959 E. Fourth St.: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 909-987-3158
Victorville, 12520 Business Center Drive, Bldg. G: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 760-849-9700
First Missionary Baptist Church, 332 N. Allen St., Banning: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
David Okonkwo is the Director of the Ministry to Catholics of African Descent for the Diocese of San Bernardino.