The Our Blood Institute has instituted a new program, Donable Cares, designed to benefit non-profit organizations.
Among the early beneficiaries will be the United Way of South Central Oklahoma’s Long Term Tornado Relief Program.
Monday morning, the United Way was presented with a check in the amount of $1,180 to the program. The money was raised during the Boots and Badges Blood Drive this summer.
OBI Executive Director of Ardmore and Ada, Susan Crews, said the grassroots program is designed to get donors in the door and raise money for non-profits. A non-profit is in charge of recruiting donors through a QR Code that links to Donable Cares. The non-profit receives $15 for each donor that gives on its behalf.
“What we are doing with Donable Cares and the Long-Term Tornado Relief is we are partnering with them through the United Way to raise money for all the tornado victims,” Crews said. “Each blood drive that we have, for example, right now we have one coming up in Love County. It will be Love County Boots and Badges, which will be from 11:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Southern Tech in Marietta.”
When there is a blood drive in the community, funds stay in the community. Crews added that anyone can give at any time using the link to support a non-profit as long as blood is donated within the OBI system. Crews added the program provides an opportunity for people who may not be in a position to donate financially to do just that while saving someone’s life.
The United Way developed its Long Term Tornado Relief Program following the April tornados that caused extensive damage in Murray, Love and Carter counties.
“The Long Term Recovery Fund was established to fill in the gaps,” United Way of South Central Oklahoma Executive Director Bryce Chitwood said. “There is all the immediate relief that happens after a disaster. And there is a group of community members that got together to establish the long-term recovery fund to step in that gap and say, ‘Who is going to be there six months, nine months, 12 months, as people put their lives and businesses back together.’
“The fund will be there to receive applications, to support folks in the local communities.”
Chitwood said $365,000 has been raised for the fund to date. The United Way is still in the fundraising cycle with hopes of being able to start distributing funds in the next three to six months. The committee is assessing how to help each county and is taking the approach of not limiting who it will help with fundraising, Chitwood said.
“We are saying, we want to be a help for everyone, and we are currently in the process of establishing what that looks like so that folks can start applying for assistance,” he said.
