Red Cross Blood Drive
The first LGBTQIA+ focused blood drive in ENC!
Time & Location
Jun 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 308 Meadows St, New Bern, NC 28560, USA
About the event
No RSVP required!
Blood drives have been a point of contention in the LGBTQIA+ community for over 40 years, when the FDA banned donation in 1985 by any man who had slept with another man since 1977—for life. It wasn’t until 2015 that the FDA lifted the lifetime ban, but they still required gay and bisexual men to be abstinent for a full year before they were allowed to donate.
Unbeknownst to many in our community, in 2023, the FDA removed any blanket bans on donation, and now evaluates potential donors solely on current behavior and medications on a gender-inclusive, case by case basis. This is a huge win for the LGBTQIA+ community, and yet so many people are still not aware of the change.
Walk-ins are welcome, or reserve a time slot here.
For more information about the changes to policy, visit the Red Cross website.
Every donor will receive a $15 gift card and a t-shirt from the Red Cross, as well as an entry into their $7500 giveaway.
*If you are taking iron supplements in preparation for donation, the Red Cross recommends taking a vitamin C supplement as well.