AgStar Financial Services Awards Memorial Blood Centers Grant to Support Northland High School Students

DULUTH, Minn., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Memorial Blood Centers (MBC), among Minnesota's oldest and largest nonprofit community blood centers, today announced the receipt of a $5,000 grant from the AgStar Fund for Rural America that will be used to directly benefit young people throughout the Northland and patients served by Northland hospitals. This important funding will help expand Memorial Blood Centers' High School Program that annually brings together students for training and education and provides scholarship support to graduating seniors.  

Through scholarships and a one-day High School Blood Drive Workshop, Memorial Blood Centers' High School Program engages high school students across the Northland in building essential leadership skills as blood drive coordinators and in developing a life-long commitment to community service as blood donors. "Now thanks to the generosity of the AgStar Fund, we will be providing additional scholarship awards this coming year to aid deserving graduating seniors in their post-high school academic pursuits," Memorial Blood Centers Vice President of Collections, Recruitment, and Production Planning Ken Kieffer said. "We also will be able to provide additional training and support materials to our annual Northland High School Blood Drive Workshop attendees. With this generous gift, AgStar is demonstrating a real commitment to the Northland community and Memorial Blood Centers is extremely grateful for the Fund's partnership in this effort."

High school blood drives play a significant role in maintaining a stable and safe blood supply for the community. Nearly 10,000 units of blood—over 15% of the total blood supply required to meet the needs of Memorial Blood Centers' hospital partners—come from high school blood drives.

In announcing the award, AgStar Fund Administrator Melanie Olson said, "We appreciate the important work that Memorial Blood Centers is doing to make a difference in the lives of rural Americans—work that supports the Fund's mission of "enhancing life in agriculture and rural America".

About Memorial Blood Centers
Memorial Blood Centers has been saving lives for over 60 years as an independent nonprofit supplying life-saving blood to area hospitals and other partners throughout the U.S. Operating 11 donor centers and conducting hundreds of blood drives each month, Memorial Blood Centers also provides comprehensive testing and expert technical services as a national leader in transfusion medicine. www.MBC.org.  

About AgStar Fund for Rural America
The AgStar Fund for Rural America was created to extend the commitment of AgStar Financial Services, ACA to the agricultural community. This special program underscores our dedication to agriculture and rural communities, and addresses the issues facing rural America. www.agstar.com.

All eligible blood donors are encouraged to give generously. To make an appointment, call 1-888-GIVE-BLD or register online at www.MBC.org.

SOURCE Memorial Blood Centers