corner
INBC saves lives by providing blood and services to support transfusion and transplantation medicine in the Inland Northwest.

Donation Programs

INBC develops donation programs in the continued efforts to recruit and retain blood and/or platelet donors. Often these programs aim to increase donations at our collection centers to off-set the “convenience factor” provided at mobile blood drives scheduled throughout the community.

Giving Assistance Partnership - GAP
GAP Family The Giving Assistance Partnership, or GAP program, is designed to help patients with support to help offset the costs associated with a blood or platelet transfusion. It is a partnership of patients, donors, communities, corporations, churches, and the Inland Northwest Blood Center (INBC).
You become a partner in the GAP program by donating a unit of blood or platelets to INBC. The benefit comes when you or someone in your group, as members of GAP, receive a life saving transfusion of blood or platelets. There are two basic types of plans: the Group Plan and the Individual Plan.

Group Plan

  1. A Group Plan may be established by a church, community, business, school, hospital, organization, or other group. INBC can help you establish your plan.
  2. One donation of blood or platelets to INBC opens the Group Plan and can have unlimited donors. At least one donation annually keeps the plan current and each donation will be assigned one benefit. There will only be benefits available equal to the number of donations received.
  3. Each Group Plan has a chairperson who keeps track of the number of benefits in the plan and disperses them upon request, according to the number available.
  4. When a Group Plan member has used blood or platelets, they should contact their group chairperson with the patient’s name and address. The chairperson will then contact INBC to arrange the disbursement of benefits.
  5. INBC will send the patient a Benefit Form to complete, sign, and mark their benefit choice: a $20 gift certificate from Rosauers Supermarkets or a $15 check from INBC.
  6. Upon receipt of the completed Benefit Form, INBC will send the benefit directly to the patient.

Individual Plan

  1. Anyone can set up an Individual Plan for their family, friends, or themselves. You, the donor, decide who is to be included on your plan.
  2. Only one donation of blood or platelets is needed to open an Individual Plan, and at least one donation annually is required to keep the plan open.
  3. Once a plan member has used blood or platelets, they are eligible to receive a benefit for each unit used.
  4. To release GAP benefits, the plan holder will contact INBC and provide the patient’s name and address.
  5. INBC will send the patient a Benefit Form to complete, sign, and mark their benefit choice: a $20 gift certificate from Rosauers Supermarket or a $15 check from INBC.
  6. Upon receipt of the completed Benefit Form, INBC will send the benefit directly to the patient.

Benefits need to be released no later than 2 months after the patient’s transfusion.

Won’t you join the INBC Giving Assistance Partnership?

Please contact INBC’s GAP Representative for more information at (509) 624-0151 or (800) 423-0151.

Medical Exclusions

  1. Autologous donations (blood you donate for you own surgery) and Directed donations (blood you donate for a specific patient) are not eligible for the GAP program.
  2. If a patient listed on one of these plans has a prior diagnosed condition requiring periodic or repeat blood or platelet transfusions, that patient is excluded from the GAP program.
  3. Should a medical condition develop requiring ongoing blood or platelet transfusions after a plan is established, benefits will continue as long as donations for the patient are continuing.

Four Seasons Program
4 Seasons Club logoThe Inland Northwest Blood Center has a donor program designed to help increase both blood and platelet donations throughout the year. The “Four Seasons Program” is designed to help motivate donors to increase the number of donations they make to at least four times on an annual basis. If you donate whole blood primarily at mobile blood drives, we then invite you to one of our collection centers in between to bring you up to the four consecutive seasonal donations. As a special thank you for participating, we will present to you a Four Seasons Club recognition item specially designed for this program after your fourth donation. (Keep in mind that one can donate whole blood every eight weeks or a total of six donations in a 12-month period.) There is only one way to take advantage; be a regular blood or platelet donor!

The four seasons are divided as follows:

  • Winter: December, January, February
  • Spring: March, April, May
  • Summer: June, July, August
  • Fall: September, October, November

Guidelines:

  • Donate whole blood or platelets at any INBC location during each “season” as indicated above.
  • Punch cards will be available at registration or in the canteen areas.  Each time you donate, present your card to a staff member or canteen volunteer and they will punch or initial the appropriate season.
  • Upon the fourth consecutive seasonal donation, you will receive a special Four Seasons Club recognition item as our thank you for being a regular donor.
  • The Four Seasons Program can be initiated during any season.

So, do YOU donate less than four times on an annual basis? Become a member of the Four Seasons Club and help keep our blood supply at a consistent safe and adequate level all year long.

“Happy Hour” at Regional Headquarters
The Happy Hour Donor Program was developed as a measure to increase blood or platelet donations through partnerships with community dining establishments. Every third Wednesday of the month between 4pm and 7pm, local restaurants sponsor the Happy Hour event by providing food for blood and platelet donors. These generous establishments serve pizza, chips & salsa, sandwiches, appetizers, and so on. This program offers INBC both a tool for additional donor recruitment efforts at Regional Headquarters (210 West Cataldo Avenue in Spokane) as well as a way to help promote local businesses. Whether you are a donor who would like to indulge in culinary treats, or a restaurant, deli, or caterer wanting to help support blood donation, please participate in the Happy Hour Donor Program.

“Tasty Tuesday” at the North Idaho Collection Center
INBC’s North Idaho Collection Center offers a culinary opportunity for blood and platelet donors on the last Tuesday of each month, 4pm to 7:30pm. The Tasty Tuesday Donor Program partners local dining establishments with INBC for a common goal to promote blood donation at the North Idaho Collection Center (1341 Northwood Center Court, Coeur d’Alene). Local restaurants provide tasty treats such as pizza, deli sandwiches, tacos, or appetizers for valued blood and platelet donors. Through these partnerships, INBC is provided with an additional tool to recruit donors and in turn helps promote these generous North Idaho businesses for their support. If you are a donor eager to indulge in tasty delights, or a North Idaho restaurant, deli, or caterer wanting to help support blood donation, please participate in INBC’s Tasty Tuesday.


Side Photo