6.20.2008 - 09:31am ET

(CSRwire) LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.,June 20/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York Blood Center (NYBC), the nation's largest community-based, non-profit, independent blood services center, today launched a mobile blood "donor coach," funded by a $160,000 grant from MetLife Foundation. The bright red coach prominently features Snoopy, MetLife's mascot, making it an eye-catching reminder, in the communities it serves, of the importance of blood donation.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080620/DC25653 )

The coach will allow NYBC to reach communities in the five New York City boroughs with historically low donation rates, but whose blood is critically needed to help those suffering from a variety of health conditions, including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and leukemia.

"MetLife has a long history of extraordinary support and commitment to increase donations from all communities, improve donor convenience, and save lives," said Dr. Robert Jones, President and CEO of NYBC. "We're just thrilled to have Snoopy on board!"

"MetLife and MetLife Foundation are proud of their support of NYBC through the years," said William J. Mullaney, President, Institutional Business, MetLife, who serves as the Chairman of the New York Blood Center's Volunteer Leadership Campaign, and was executive sponsor of MetLife's Blood and Bone Marrow donation program for many years. "Our goals are the same -- to increase blood donations and blood research efforts. By traveling throughout the five boroughs, this new donor coach will help make it easier for New Yorkers to donate blood."

For the past 60 years, MetLife has been an active participant and supporter of NYBC's blood drives. The company regularly sponsors employee blood drives, and has also provided leadership, time, and money to the cause. Other MetLife/MetLife Foundation -- NYBC partnerships include:

• In 2005, MetLife donated space for a donor site at 200 Park Avenue, one of the most expensive and well-traveled commercial building in Manhattan.
  
• Since 1998, MetLife Foundation has supported the MetLife Foundation Rare Blood Research Initiative. The Initiative,which builds on previous research supported by the Foundation,conducts research to improve identification of compatible blood for patients with rare blood, especially within diverse ethnic groups, and to make transfusion medicine safer.
  
• MetLife created the Skyscrapers for Life program in 1997, which engages commercial multi-tenant buildings to run blood drives and generates thousands of donations annually.
  
• In 1996, MetLife worked with the New York Yankees to develop the High School Blood Donor Championships, in which high school students challenge other students in local blood drives. Over the years, the program has raised hundreds of thousands of pints.
  
• MetLife has been recognized by the American Association of Blood Banks, Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals, and America's Blood Centers for donor recruitment excellence and commitment.
  
• In the 1980s, MetLife became the first major corporation to reach an annual donation rate of one pint of blood per employee.