The Blood Center will be at the Student Union on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 to collect pints of blood for the more than 4 million Americans needing blood transfusions each year.

Each person who visits The Blood Center site will be able to choose from a t-shirt, Blood Assurance, Blood Replacement, or From The Heart Club as an incentive for becoming a donor. Blood Assurance allows individuals and their families one year of unlimited blood coverage while Blood Replacement allows individuals to replace blood for someone else. The From The Heart Club allows The Blood Center to send children to Camp Challenge, a weeklong camp for Louisiana children with cancer and other blood disorders. Each year, 18 to 25 children are sent to the campus courtesy of the Center, Blood Center representative Francis Plaisance, Jr. said at Monday’s Student Government Association meeting.

The Blood Center is a non-profit, community service organization founded in 1960 and is the primary supplier of blood, blood components and plasma derivatives to over 30 hospitals and numerous outpatient transfusion facilities throughout South Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. According to the official website, the center strives to collect 350 pints of blood a day in order to keep a 3-day supply of 1,200 to 1,400 pints of blood on their shelves at all times.

In his presentation to SGA, Plaisance said students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring family, friends and relatives along on the donation days.

“We just finished with a tough summer so now we’re trying to build it back up…We need your help,” Plaisance said.

The website explains that it is important that iron levels are sufficient prior to donating blood. Donors are encouraged to eat iron-rich foods like chicken, eggs and whole-grain breads, which help promote blood regeneration.

Plaisance said anyone with controlled diabetes, on blood pressure medicine or with a tattoo older than 30 days is eligible to donate