Go to Givelife.com, a Web page sponsored by the American Red Cross, and the first words you read are: “The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.”

Students can meet that need at the school’s annual blood drive.

The drive, a project of the American Red Cross and NCCU’s department of health education runs April 15-16 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and April 17 from noon to 5:30 p.m. at the Miller-Morgan Building.

“I was happy that I could save some lives,” said Paula Arthur, an elementary education junior, who donated her blood last year.

She said the drive

“gives the community a chance to feel like they are doing something to contribute to society.”

Theodore Parrish, an instructor in the department of health education,has directed the drive since 1990. He said the drive is an opportunity to increase the number of qualified blood donors.

Parrish said he welcomes the opportunity to integrate the blood drive into his classes. This teaches students how to be interactive in the community.

According to the American Red Cross, last year the NCCU drive brought in 775 pints of blood.

Donors are advised to eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water before donating.

Because of a blood shortage, the American Red Cross has urged 120 hospitals nationwide to use their already low blood supplies for emergency situations only, and to delay elective operations when possible.

“Due to the high demand for blood, this year’s drive is even more important than usual,” said American Red Cross representative Renita Hayes-Carter.

Participants can also sign up to be organ donors during the drive.

Thirty-five percent of patients waiting for kidney transplants are African American.

Something as small as signing up to be a organ donor can go a long way toward helping someone in need.

According to the Amer-ican Red Cross, the blood drive also provides a way to help those 70,000 individuals with sickle cell anemia.

All it takes is getting tested for the trait and being a bone marrow donor when needed.

One in every 12 African Americans carries the trait for sickle cell disease and bone marrow transplants require matching, according to the American Red Cross website.

Because these traits are inherited, the patient is more likely to match with someone of their same heritage.

Parrish said students or community members can walk in or schedule an appointment, but he recommends making an appointment.

Student donors earn five community service hours for donating, three for every friend they bring to donate, ten hours for double donation, and seven for writing a essay on how the blood drive as impacted you.

More information on the blood drive is available at 919-530-6422.

Appointments can be made online at

www.membersforlife.org/cbsr/schedule.