With blood supply levels critically low in southwest Florida, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank and its staff stepped up. The $850 million-asset community bank has hosted eight blood drives in partnership with a local health system since 2021.
This recurring act of giving began when Lee Health, a local health system, reached out to the Sanibel, Fla.-based community bank to help replenish the area’s blood supply. “Ever since, we just told them, ‘Whenever you need us to step up and do it, just call us,’” said Amy McQuagge Sanibel Captiva Community Bank’s vice president, director of marketing.
The bank held the open-to-the-public blood drives at its Bridge and Gateway branches. According to McQuagge, each drive has had 10 to 20 donors, and the total amount of blood donated in each drive falls between 10 and 20 pints.
Sanibel Captiva plans to continue to host drives as part of its commitment to the local community. “We have made it a priority to support this community however we can,” McQuagge said. “If the community calls us and asks to help fill a need, our inclination is to always say yes.” —Ben Kopnick
