Toyota Blood Drive Saves Lives Nov. 25, 2013

TMMK Team Members Finish Up Another Successful Lifesaving Year

A Toyota employee working at the TMMK plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky team members not only produce quality automobiles, they also generate thousands of life-saving blood products for Kentuckians.

Each year, TMMK hosts three blood drives with Kentucky Blood Center. Blood drives in February, June and October this year generated 2,879 blood products. Combined with the three 2012 drives, Toyota employees donated nearly 6,000 life-saving blood products in the past two years. And since Toyota began hosting blood drives in 1986, TMMK team members have more than 47,400 times.

Hosting three blood drives a year is a huge undertaking for the Georgetown Toyota plant because production lines don’t stop during those blood drives. It takes a lot of communication, coordination and generosity on Toyota’s part. Plant management works closely with KBC to allow employees to donate blood at the plant without negatively affecting vehicle production.

”One of the principles of the Toyota Way is supporting society and helping those in our communities,” said TMMK President Wil James. “The support we give to Kentucky Blood Center is another example of how our team members embrace important organizations that make a difference in the lives of people. This is a very personal way to give something to another human being and our team members always embrace the opportunity when Kentucky Blood Center visits our facility. We all realize that this is literally a life-saving organization.”

 “We appreciate Toyota Georgetown for continuing this life-saving community service,” said KBC President and CEO Bill Reed. “We realize it is a huge undertaking for them each time we come, but they continue touching thousands of lives with their generosity.”

To find a donation location or to schedule a donation, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.2522.

About Kentucky Blood Center

KBC, the largest FDA regulated blood bank headquartered in Kentucky, is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients at nearly 70 Kentucky hospitals and clinics in more than 60 counties. KBC relies on volunteers to donate 400 pints of blood per day to meet area patients’ needs. Over the last year KBC distributed nearly 130,000 blood components.