URBANA, Ill. – University of Illinois Police Department officers and staff on Friday will host and participate in a blood drive to help make sure there is adequate inventory for community members who need it.

The blood drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the U. of I. Public Safety Building, 1110 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana. Due to COVID-19 protocols, masks and appointments are required to donate blood, and no walk-ins will be served.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were two appointments remaining for interested community members. The rest had been filled by UIPD officers and staff.

“Our role in the community is to help people, and that means we do it in every way that we can,” said UIPD Director of Community Development and Engagement Dementro Powell. “This blood drive is just one more place where we saw an opportunity to give some of ourselves to the community, and so our officers and staff jumped at the chance.”

The blood collection will be handled by ImpactLife (formerly Community Blood Services of Illinois), and the drive is sponsored by Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Community members are invited to sign up for the two remaining appointments. To make an appointment, contact Dementro Powell at dementro@illinois.edu, or sign up online at www.bloodcenter.org with code #71258.