The GW chapter of the Red Cross earned recognition for its campus blood drives from the national organization this month, the group’s third award in the span of a year.
GW Red Cross earlier this month won the Collegiate Club Spotlight from the American Red Cross, a nonprofit organization that provides aid to victims of disasters, for its monthly blood drives and regular fundraisers. GW Red Cross executive board members said they are proud to receive the commendation after collecting two other awards from the organization last year, which honor the chapter’s commitment to community service.
Jordyn Milou, a senior and one of the co-presidents of GW Red Cross, said the group was highlighted for the Collegiate Club Spotlight Award this month because of their contributions to the national organization last year, including more than 270 units of blood from monthly blood drives last year and 290 units in the 2021-22 academic year.
Milou said she was specifically proud of Vaccinate a Village last year, which was a campaign in December 2022 where the Red Cross would vaccinate one child for measles and rubella for every dollar donated. She said GW Red Cross fundraised for the campaign using bingo games, a Krispy Kreme sale and a bake sale, which raised a total of $500.
“Whenever there is a disaster, we fundraise and give donations over to the Red Cross,” Milou said. “$500 for a big fundraiser was especially a very significant amount.”
Milou said she joined the organization her sophomore year and has taken up projects and positions each year that have sparked her interest, like becoming one of the group’s blood drive coordinators last year. She said the chapter has helped students applying to medical school earn necessary volunteer hours.
“It is a great community that we have built and continue to build, which is my favorite part,” Milou said. “I have made a lot of friends through GW Red Cross, and pulling people in has been a really good experience.”
Gloria Coliton, a senior volunteer engagement specialist at the American Red Cross who oversees the GW chapter, said the Red Cross chose GW for National Capital Area Chapter’s Club of the Year in May. She said the award highlights the club’s hard work and “openness” to new fundraising methods, like the Vaccinate a Village initiative.
Coliton added that the chapter’s former co-president, Dana Woodruff, last year received the National Capital Area Young Humanitarian of the Year award for her work organizing blood drives and her “inspirational” want to make a difference.
Coliton said GW Red Cross was the only regional collegiate club to host a blood drive last year, including student organizations at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, and is also the only collegiate club that hosts monthly blood drives. GW Red Cross also contributed to the making of 900 “comfort kits” for children affected by recent natural disasters — kits that include children’s shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other toiletries in support of Disaster Services.
“They are actively involved with spreading the word about the mission of the Red Cross and truly making a difference with the work they are doing,” she said.
The Red Cross declared a national blood shortage Sept. 11 with their blood supply rates falling by 25 percent since early August after Hurricane Idalia — which ravaged the Florida Gulf Coast in late August — forced blood drive cancellations. The Red Cross experienced a “shortfall” of about 30,000 donations in August, creating a gap in demand for blood and the amount of blood available for distribution.
Hajar Errahmani, a junior and one of the blood drive coordinators, said GW Red Cross will work to make decorations and purchase treats to make their blood drives more welcoming and encourage more people to donate.
“With the blood drives, we go out of our way to promote them and get students to go,” she said. “We have so many people show up to do community service, so it feels a lot like a family.”
Brooke Forgette contributed reporting.
