In January 2022, our community and country faced a national blood crisis due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) experienced a major decline in donor turnout, and most mobile blood drives had been canceled, resulting in an alarmingly low inventory of blood products for our community. At that time, Dr. Eric McDonald contacted SDBB asking what the County of San Diego (County) could do to help long-term to help avoid blood shortages in the future. The County became the catalyst for a new Community Guardians pilot program that promoted blood donation through Live Well San Diego partners.   

Select Live Well San Diego partners who were recruited for the pilot program agreed to actively recruit blood donors through their networks over the course of one month. Each partner was provided a toolkit and guidance on donor recruitment.   

Community Guardians helped connect SDBB to audiences they could not otherwise access, helping spread the word about the importance of blood donation in new, diverse communities.   

SDBB has revised the program to incorporate more ways for Community Guardians to participate, including opportunities for sponsorships, financial donations, hosting blood drives, community action, and awareness building. In 2023, SDBB's goal is to welcome100+ Community Guardians throughout Southern California.

Learning Objectives    

1. Learn how organizations can partner/collaborate with SDBB to become a Community Guardian and help protect our region's blood supply
2. Understand the unique way SDBB partnered with the County
3. Gain insight into the plan for the program we continue to build