Launched earlier this year by the Oklahoma Blood Institute, the “Greater Good” blood donation program is a dual fundraiser and blood drive that allows community donor groups to generate a financial gift for a local non-profit of their choice while supporting the local blood supply.

The result is more available blood for local patients as well as new, “found money” for non-profits to facilitate more good works, which means a double win for the community.

First, a donor group must designate a third-party nonprofit of their choice to receive the benefit.

Then, the donor group must hold a blood drive that gathers at least 15 successful donations.

Finally, OBI will make a $10 to $15 contribution per successful donation to the designated nonprofit.

The higher contributions are earned for first-time, additional and high-growth drives.

In the month of July, donor groups hosted 23 successful Greater Good blood drives, and $8,325 was donated by OBI to local charities.

Since January, donor groups have hosted hundreds of Greater Good drives, which resulted in $43,595 flowing to charitable causes and many thousands of pints of blood flowing for transfusions.

Animal welfare, hunger prevention, police benevolence, dementia care, youth services and poverty relief are among the many different causes that have benefitted from the program.

“It is not surprising that this program is successful, because our communities are full of people who are not only caring, but who are also smart enough to supersize their generosity by leveraging this ‘two-fer’ of giving,” said Dr. John Armitage, president and CEO of Oklahoma Blood Institute.

“At a time when the economy is pressuring charitable budgets and client needs are rising, I am proud that our blood center has discovered this creative way to extend altruism’s impact.”

The next local blood drive is Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Hennessey High School.

It’s from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the auditorium.

For more information on how to set up a blood drive to raise money for a charity through Oklahoma Blood Institute’s Greater Good blood donation program, call 877-340-8777.