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University Village at Raleigh, a 600-bedroom apartment community located within three miles of the North Carolina State University campus, recently partnered with the American Red Cross to host its first blood drive. The event was held on June 9th from 11:30am-4pm at University Village at Raleigh, located at 3333 Melrose Club Boulevard in Raleigh.
University Village at Raleigh is owned and managed by The Preiss Company (TPCO), the largest provider of off-campus student housing at North Carolina State University, Clemson University, Auburn University in Alabama, and the University of Texas in Austin and the second largest provider at UNC Charlotte. TPCO worked with Kirsten Kruhm, American Red Cross Senior Blood Donor Recruiter, to sponsor the event, which attracted 34 donors (14 first-time donors) and collected 25 productive units of blood.
According to the American Red Cross, more than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day, with the most requested blood type being type O. Because type O negative blood is the “Universal Blood Type,” meaning that it is the only type that can safely be transfused to a patient with any blood type, keeping an adequate supply of it is essential. Because type O Blood is so critical to the American Red Cross’ mission of saving lives, the organization places a special focus on recruiting and retaining type O donors. Kruhm says that she enjoyed partnering with TPCO on its recent blood drive and says that reaching college donors was especially important.
“Students make up about 25% of our blood supply,” says Kruhm. “Without schools being in full session, it’s difficult for the Red Cross to reach these loyal donors. We’re grateful to The Preiss Company for sponsoring its first-ever blood drive at University Village. With University Village sponsoring a drive right where students live, we collected 25 productive pints of blood that can be used to help save the life of 75 patients in need.”
TPCO CEO and founder, Donna Preiss, says that she is proud of the efforts made by so many TPCO team members and hopes that the success of University Village at Raleigh’s blood drive will help motivate other student housing companies to partner with the American Red Cross in order to provide these life-saving events.
“Giving blood is one of the easiest things that we can do in order to make an immediate and positive impact in our community,” says Preiss. “I can’t say enough about the volunteer efforts made by our team members in order to make this event happen, and I’m equally grateful for the staff and all of the students who turned out to give so generously and selflessly. To be able to save the lives of 75 patients is extremely rewarding, and we look forward to partnering with the American Red Cross in the future.”
About The Preiss Company
Founded in 1987 by Donna Preiss, TPCO employs over 168 team members and provides a wide range of services including acquisition, property management, due diligence, construction management, development, and consulting for multi-family real estate investments. Beginning its 22nd year, TPCO (tpco.com) has formed over 50 partnerships and developed over 20 projects stretching from Maryland to Texas. The company recently entered into the Myrtle Beach market with their purchase of University Village at the Coast, a 436-bed apartment property located three miles of Coastal Carolina University.
About the Triangle Area Chapter of the American Red Cross
For more than 90 years, the Triangle Area Chapter of the American Red Cross (trianglearc.org) has enabled people to help their neighbors. Approximately 35,000 people each year gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes and communities. Nearly 1,000 trained Red Cross volunteers provide lifesaving services in Wake, Chatham, Franklin, Johnston, Lee and Warren Counties. Last year, victims of 440 disasters, most of them fires, turned to the Triangle Chapter for help and hope. In a typical year, 42,000 local people give blood—the gift of life—to supply local hospitals. In an average year, the Triangle Chapter helps 1500 U.S. service members stay connected with their families. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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