Shepeard Community Blood Center

An Important Message From Shepeard - Updated 4/3/2020

In light of the recent Georgia "Shelter-in-Place" order, Shepeard Community Blood Center is calling on community members to continue to donate blood as part of their emergency preparedness plan. As the supplier of blood products to our local hospitals such as AU Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Georgia, and University Hospital, Shepeard is still open and provides an essential service to the CSRA. Citizens who are healthy and wish to donate are encouraged to call Shepeard at 706-737-4551 to make an appointment.

Donating blood is safe. In addition to the year-round universal precautions Shepeard has in place, the organization has implemented additional safety measures based on the CDC's current recommendation for social distancing. Additional measures may be put in place as the guidance evolves.

These additional safety measures are as follows:

1. All donors are asked to make an appointment. This will prevent the number of people in our waiting rooms and mobiles at one time.
2. We are encouraging all donors to do the QuickPass screening on their phones or computers before coming to donate. That will save them time, and also limit resource-sharing. Click here to access QuickPass.
3. Staff and donors will be temperature checked before entering a mobile or center to donate. If a fever is present, they will not be permitted to enter.
4. Our phlebotomy staff will be wearing face shields, or masks, and gloves.
5. Children under 16 are not permitted in our donor centers or mobiles.

Since Shepeard is considered an essential service provider, our donors are also considered essential and will be permitted to drive to a donation center or mobile to donate. Donors can access a letter permitting their travel to donate on the front page of our website. To view and print the letter, click the button labeled "Letter for Donation During Shelter-in-Place Order."

Shepeard Community Blood Center is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit blood center. Our mission is to collect, process, and distribute blood and blood products. We are the provider for over 20 hospitals in 30 counties across the two-state area.