On Tuesday, June 1, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined the New York Blood Center for a press conference to announce the annual blood drive to be held at Borough Hall this Thursday, June 3 (10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.). Every day patients need 2,000 pints of blood in the Greater New York area, yet only two percent of Brooklynites donate blood each year (compared with five percent nationwide).

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, and one out of three people will need a lifesaving blood transfusion in his or her lifetime. One single blood donation can potentially help to save the lives of three people. New York Blood Center requires between 1,600 to 1,800 blood donations each day to meet the needs of regional hospitals. Eligible donors can give blood every 56 days and New York Blood Center thanks each individual blood donor and the wide variety of organizations that sponsor blood drives throughout the year.