In Recognition of National Blood Donor Month, SUNY Chancellor King Highlights SUNY Campus Blood Drives

January 15, 2026

SUNY's Commitment to Service through Blood Drives Impacts the Lives of New Yorkers Through Life-Saving Donations

Chancellor Thanks Students, Faculty, and Staff for Stepping Up to Support New Yorkers

Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today highlighted the efforts of students, faculty, and staff to save lives through blood drives and donations as part of SUNY's observance of January as National Blood Donor Month. SUNY and its campuses have partnered with non-profits including the American Red Cross, ConnectLife, and the New York Blood Center to organize blood drives that promote civic engagement and help ensure people receive the life-saving care they need.

"Civic engagement is an essential outcome of higher education," said SUNY Chancellor King. "From addressing the recent food insecurity crisis to organizing and donating at blood drives, SUNY students, faculty, and staff are always ready to take action and help those in need. Together with our non-profit partners, SUNY campuses are making it easy for students and community members to donate blood and help save lives."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "The blood drives organized by SUNY campuses and community partners underscore our deeply-held commitment to our fellow New Yorkers and how SUNY students, faculty, and staff are always ready to have a profound impact to support our communities. We applaud the efforts of our dedicated students, faculty, and staff to combat the blood shortage and profoundly improve the well-being of thousands of New Yorkers."

In addition to a blood drive at SUNY System, SUNY campuses throughout the state are organizing blood drive events to help reinforce the state's available supply. SUNY campus efforts include:

  • SUNY Adirondack is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the SUNY Adirondack Community College Student Center, 640 Bay Road, Queensbury, NY 12804.
  • Alfred State College's Pi Rho Zeta fraternity is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 19 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Leadership Center Small Event Space, 10 Upper College Drive, Alfred, NY 14802.
  • SUNY Brockport is hosting its first blood drive of the year in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 29, 2026 from noon to 5 p.m. in the Seymour Union Ballroom, 250 New Campus Drive, Brockport, NY 14420.
  • Buffalo State University is hosting a blood drive in partnership with ConnectLife on February 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222.
  • SUNY Canton is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 11 and February 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center, 34 Cornell Drive, Canton, NY 13617.
  • SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech is hosting a blood drive in Partnership with the American Red Cross on January 28 in the Bouck Hall Ballroom, 103 Schenectady Avenue, Cobleskill, NY 12043.
  • SUNY Corning Community College will be hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Triangle Lounge, 1 Academic Drive, Corning, NY 14830.
  • The State University of New York Downstate Health Services University is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on January 26 and January 27 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Student Center Main Lounge, 394 Lenox Road, Brooklyn, NY 11203.
  • Empire State University will be hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2 Union Avenue, Room 126, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
  • SUNY ESF is holding blood drives in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 21 and January 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Gateway Center Community Room, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210.
  • Farmingdale State College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom, 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale NY, 11735.
  • Finger Lakes Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on its Main Campus, 3325 Marvin Sands Drive, Canandaigua, NY 14424.
  • Fulton Montgomery Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Physical Education Room, 2805 Highway 67, Johnstown, NY 12095.
  • SUNY Geneseo's American Red Cross Club is hosting a blood drive on February 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, NY 14454.
  • Herkimer County Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Robert McLaughlin College Center Alumni Hall. 100 Reservoir Road, Herkimer, NY 13350.
  • Hudson Valley Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bulmer Communications Center, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue, Troy, NY 12180.
  • Mohawk Valley Community College's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Alumni College Center, 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica, NY 13501.
  • Nassau Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on January 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the College Center Building Multipurpose Room, One Education Drive, Garden City, NY 11530.
  • Onondaga Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Gordon Student Center Great Room, 4575 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215.
  • SUNY Orange is hosting a blood drive on its Middletown Campus in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Shepard Student Center,115 South Street, Middletown, NY 10940.
  • SUNY Oswego is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 29th from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Marano Campus Center, 7060 State Route 104, Oswego, NY 13126.
  • SUNY Plattsburgh is hosting a blood drive sponsored by Project Health and in partnership with the Adirondack Regional Blood Center at the Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital on February 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Angell College Center Cardinal Lounge, 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901.
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Student Center, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY 13502. 
  • SUNY Purchase is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 11 and February 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Center, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577.
  • Rockland Community College is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Room 3214, 145 College Road, Suffern, NY 10901.
  • SUNY Schenectady is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Elston Hall Lally Mohawk Room, 78 Washington Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12305.
  • State University of New York at Stony Brook is hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 16 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Ballroom A, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794.
  • Tompkins Cortland Community College is hosting a blood drive sponsored by the Student Government Association in partnership with the American Red Cross on February 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Center, 170 North Street, Dryden, NY 13053.
  • The State University of New York Upstate Medical University hosted blood drives in partnership with the American Red Cross on January 8, 9, and 14.
  • SUNY Old Westbury's Student Health Center will be hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center on February 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Campus Center Atrium, Campus Center, Old Westbury, NY 11568.
  • SUNY Westchester Community College is hosting a blood drive February 2 through February 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Technology Building Second Floor Student Lounge, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595.

Additionally, SUNY campuses are also scheduling blood drives throughout the year to ensure people continue to receive the life-saving care they need at any time of year.

Medical Director, American Red Cross Blood Services, Northeast Division, Dr. Lawrence Fialkow said, "We honor the extraordinary generosity of the millions of people who roll up their sleeves to give blood. Blood donors are the unsung heroes in hospitals, ensuring patients have the lifesaving care they need when it matters most. Every day, our dedicated donors demonstrate that a simple act — giving just an hour of their time — can have a profound, lifesaving impact. The start of the year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood, as severe winter weather, seasonal illnesses and post-holiday schedules can disrupt donations. During National Blood Donor Month, we encourage more individuals to join our national blood donor community to help save lives."

ConnectLife Senior Director of Communications & External Affairs Sarah R. Diina said, "SUNY has been an incredible community partner for ConnectLife's mission to save lives through blood donation in Western New York. The University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College, and SUNY GCC held a combined 13 blood drives with ConnectLife in 2025, where 360 donors gave enough blood to impact nearly 1,100 lives at Western New York hospitals. The schools' willingness to host these drives lets us reach those generous students who are willing to give but might have trouble accessing a drive. We're so grateful for their continuing commitment to this crucial cause."

The SUNY campus blood drives are part of SUNY's ongoing efforts to encourage civic engagement and volunteerism to support New Yorkers in need. Members of the SUNY Empire State Service Corps participated in Governor Hochul's Day of Hunger Action to combat food insecurity in their communities during the food insecurity crisis. In September 2025, Chancellor King announced the second cohort of Civil Discourse and Civic Education & Engagement Fellows, who will also assist in supporting SUNY faculty, staff, and administration in advancing SUNY's commitment to civic engagement and civil discourse. In January 2025, Chancellor King announced the addition of a civic discourse component to the general education core competencies for SUNY students.

According to the Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Additionally, in the winter months the number of donations typically drops due to illnesses, travel, and weather, making the need for donors even more urgent. For information about where to find a Red Cross sponsored blood drive, please click here.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

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