NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS) is calling on community members to donate blood ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, a period when donations traditionally drop and hospital demand remains high. All who come to donate at any NJBS donor center or blood drive between Sunday, November 23rd and Sunday, November 30th will receive a festive long-sleeved t-shirt as a thank-you for helping patients in need. The holiday season is historically challenging for the blood supply, as school breaks, travel, and seasonal illness often keep regular donors from giving. Last year, NJBS saw nearly a 36% drop in blood donations during the week of Thanksgiving alone.

Today, at 10 a.m., at the Cathedral Kitchen, 1514 Federal Street, Camden, the Board of Commissioners will be hosting a homeless services and resource fair to provide free necessary services to those in need. This fair will feature on–site showers and haircuts, breakfast and lunch, and access to several organizations to help individuals with employment, housing, legal support, and mental health services.

“Our homelessness resource fairs help to deliver critical wraparound services directly to people who are experiencing homelessness,” said Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services. “This is just one step in towards our goal of ending homelessness in Camden County once and for all.”