United We Give: LifeShare Calls on Community to Come Together and Save Lives July 1-3

This July, LifeShare Blood Center is inviting the community to unite around a simple truth: when we come together, we save lives.
From July 1-3, 2026, LifeShare will host its annual United We Give campaign, a three-day community blood drive initiative designed to help offset the significant decline in blood donations that occurs every summer. During the campaign, all eligible donors who give blood, platelets, or plasma at LifeShare donor centers and mobile blood drives will receive a limited-edition Red, White, & YOU t-shirt and a $25 gift card as a thank-you for helping save lives. The promotion is available at all LifeShare donor centers and mobile drives with the exception of Baton Rouge.

While summer is a season of vacations, celebrations, and time spent with family and friends, it is also one of the most challenging times of the year for the blood supply. Blood donations typically decrease by nearly 20% during the summer months as routine schedules are disrupted and schools are out of session. At the same time, the need for blood remains constant.
Every day, patients depend on blood transfusions for cancer treatments, surgeries, trauma care, chronic illness, and countless other medical needs. Summer often brings an increase in accidents and injuries that can require lifesaving blood products, from car crashes and boating accidents to other unexpected emergencies. Yet the only source of blood is a volunteer donor willing to roll up their sleeve and help someone in need.

“Blood donation is one of the few acts that truly brings people together,” said Mandi Johnson, Director of Community Engagement at LifeShare. “Every blood donor shares a common purpose: helping someone they may never meet. That’s what United We Give is all about. It’s a reminder that our community is strongest when we show up for one another.”

This year’s campaign carries added significance as it coincides with the nation’s 250th anniversary. United We Give celebrates the values that have always helped communities thrive–compassion, generosity, and shared humanity. The campaign’s message is simple: positive change happens when ordinary people come together for the greater good. When a donor gives blood, a patient receives hope, a family receives more time, and a community grows stronger.

LifeShare encourages all eligible donors to give during the three-day event. A single donation can help save up to three lives and ensure local hospitals have the blood products they need to care for patients throughout the region. Appointments are encouraged, but not required.

For full promotion details or to schedule an appointment, visit
www.lifeshare.org/united or call 800.256.5433.

Together, we can overcome the summer shortage. Together, we can support our neighbors in their greatest moments of need. Together, we can save lives.