MOBILE, Ala. — Bebo’s, the well-known local taco restaurant with a devoted following in Midtown Mobile, is putting its weight behind a different kind of cause this summer: restocking the region’s blood supply.
The restaurant is sponsoring a series of American Red Cross blood drives across Mobile and Baldwin counties in early August 2020, part of an effort to keep donations flowing at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the usual rhythm of community giving.
Where and When to Donate
Three drives are on the calendar:
- Monday, Aug. 3 — noon to 6 p.m., American Red Cross chapter building, 35 N. Sage Ave., Mobile
- Tuesday, Aug. 4 — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Foley Civic Center, 407 E. Laurel Ave., Foley
- Wednesday, Aug. 5 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 260 Clubhouse Drive, Gulf Shores
A Critical Time for the Blood Supply
The summer of 2020 has been a difficult stretch for blood collection nationwide. Widespread cancellations of workplace drives, school events and other group gatherings left the Red Cross and other collection agencies scrambling to maintain supply levels through the pandemic. Local businesses stepping in to host and sponsor drives has become one of the main ways communities are filling the gap.
Donors are encouraged to schedule appointments ahead of time, and anyone feeling ill or having recently traveled to a high-risk area is asked to postpone donating. The Red Cross reports that a single donation can help save more than one patient, since donated blood is separated into red cells, plasma and platelets for hospital use across the Gulf Coast region.