August 8, 2025, 7:38pm MDT
After years of relationship, Latter-day Saints’ Church of Jesus Christ announced a one-off donation of $5.1 million to the American Red Cross on Thursday, August 7th.
The donation will support important efforts, including new donor center equipment and programs to help treat sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease (also known as sickle cell anemia) is a lifelong illness that can cause serious health complications, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Church donations provide additional blood collection equipment, such as platelet collectors and red blood cell collectors. This donation will also help increase the number of compatible blood units available to patients with sickle cell disease.
“Through cooperation, we are strengthening our ability to increase blood donations, treat sickle cell disease and celebrate millions of lives,” said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of Church Welfare and Independence Services.
According to Heidi Raster, CEO of the American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region, the church’s donations support the efforts and initiatives of the Red Cross across the country.
“But this collaboration is far beyond funding,” she said. “This is a testament to our shared dedication to serving and supporting those in need.”
A century of shared dedication
The Latter-day Saint Church of Jesus Christ has a long history of cooperation and donation with the American Red Cross, dating back to the late 1800s.
The Church is the biggest contributor to blood drive of the American Red Cross. Each year, Latter-day Saints donate around 97,000 units of blood through thousands of drives. For more than 30 years, the American Red Cross has received more than 1 million units through approximately 37,000 drives hosted by the church.
“By uniting our efforts, we will spread the love of our Savior to those in need,” Maxfield said.
The church contributed $7.35 million to the organization in 2024 to help purchase blood equipment and biomedical emergency vehicles, and assisted with blood donor engagement initiatives and support patients with sickle cell disease. A similar donation of $8.7 million was made in 2023.
These donations are separate from the Church’s Red Cross contributions to help with emergency relief, volunteer support and cooperation in blood drives.
