For the second straight year, Tulsa Area United Way is hosting a regional food and blood drive as part of a Day of Caring event.
"I think one of the things that we learned in the pandemic is that through no fault of our own, we all need help sometimes," said TAUW President and CEO Alison Anthony.
Greg Raskin with Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma said area residents showed their generosity during the height of the pandemic, and the need has not gone away.
"In the Tulsa, there are still children, seniors, military veterans and low-income families who can't reach their full potential while facing hunger," Raskin said.
According to Hunger Free Oklahoma, one in five kids aren't getting the food they need.
Cynthia Gruber with the American Red Cross said medical procedures that require blood products have picked up, but donations remain down.
"All blood types are needed, particularly type O, as well as platelets, with less than a half day supply of O donors," Gruber said.
Last year, people in the Tulsa area donated 50,000 pounds of food and 155 pints of blood. 2021 United Way Campaign co-chairs TTCU Federal Credit Union President and CEO Tim Lyons and Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith said the bar is higher now.
"This year, our goal is 60,000 pounds of food and 200 pints of blood donated," Lyons said.
"Yep, and we're going to need everybody's help to accomplish these goals," Keith said.
The food and blood drive is Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. YMCA of Greater Tulsa and TAUW will host blood drives. Locations and registration links are available at the food and blood drive website, tauw.org/June25.
The most-needed food items are canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, canned protein, rice and pasta. There are 18 sites acting as food drive locations.
- Mabrey Bank, 14821 S Memorial Drive, Bixby
- Spirit Bank, 601 N Main St., Bristow
- Broken Arrow Neighbors, 315 W College St., Broken Arrow
- First Oklahoma Bank, 100 S Riverfront Drive, Jenks
- Warehouse Market, 1701 S Wood Drive, Okmulgee
- Jim Glover Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat, 10505 N Owasso Expressway, Owasso
- Owasso Community Resources, 109 N Birch St., Owasso
- Hilti, 5400 S 122nd E Ave., Tulsa
- Hutcherson YMCA, 1120 E Pine St., Tulsa
- Jim Glover Chevrolet, 701 W 51st St., Tulsa
- Jim Norton Toyota, 9808 S Memorial Drive, Tulsa
- LIFE Senior Services, 5950 E 31st St., Tulsa
- Oasis Fresh Market, 1725 N Peoria Ave., Tulsa
- Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S Boulder Ave., Tulsa
- Tulsa CARES, 3712 E 11th St., Tulsa
- Sand Springs Community Services, 114 W Fourth St., Sand Springs
- Caring Community Friends, 12 W Burnham Ave., Sapulpa
- BancFirst, 111 S Casaver Ave., Wagoner
