Guardians Circle Donor Pledge Program | Gallon Milestone Recognition Program

Guardians Circle Donor Pledge Program:

The Guardians Circle is a membership-based appreciation program for donors that pledge to donate within 8 weeks from the day they are eligible to donate. Guardians receive special opportunities for being a member of the program.

Guardians Circle is a name reflective of the critical role blood donors play in guarding and protecting our community’s blood supply and overall health. Guardians go above and beyond to ensure local patients have lifesaving blood throughout the year. Guardians support their community by answering the call to donate when they are eligible to do so.

What are the membership benefits?
Membership benefits and special Opportunities may include but are not limited to:

• Choice Rewards — such as gift cards and branded items.
• Entry into a monthly chance raffle with really cool prizes (e.g., airline tickets, movie tickets, gift cards).
• Opportunity to support San Diego Blood Bank’s critical needs or another non-profit organization.
• Surprise rewards just for being a Guardian.

How will I be notified about membership benefits?
Donors will be notified by email. Information may be posted on the donor portal and the digital screens in centers and on mobiles regarding current Guardians Circle membership benefits.

• Benefits offered via email will be for a limited time therefore donors are encouraged to check their emails regularly.
• Donors are encouraged to have an email address to receive notifications. Gmail is easy to set up and accepts San Diego Blood Bank emails. If a donor does not wish to create an email address, they may contact (619) 400-8251 and we will discuss notification options.

What is the Sign-up Process?
All donors are invited to sign up for the Guardians Circle Pledge Program. Donors pledge to donate within 8 weeks from the day they become eligible to donate to receive membership benefits and special opportunities.

• An email invitation was sent to all current donors with a link to join the program. If you didn’t receive the email, please access the link here. The link will prompt you to the log-in page of your donor portal. If you have not created an account on the donor portal, you will need to do so before you are able to fill out the pledge form.
• Once logged in, the online pledge form will appear. If you are already logged into your portal and click on the link, it will automatically take you to the pledge form.
• There is also a link on the donor portal welcome page to take you to the online pledge form and provide information on the program.
• Donors are encouraged to sign up electronically. Our donor services team can assist donors who need help logging into their account. If the donor is unable to sign up online, please contact (619) 400-8251 for assistance.
• After you complete your pledge to donate you will move from Non-Member to Member status. This may take 24-72 hours to update.

Where can I see my membership status?
Donors will see their membership status on their donor portal at www.mysdbb.org or on their donor label when they register to donate. It may take approximately 48-72 hours to update membership status after initial sign up. If you feel your membership status is not accurate or have extenuating circumstances, please email rewards@sdbb.org.

How do I maintain my Membership Status?
It’s easy! We encourage donors to donate whenever possible but recognize that it can be difficult to donate on the exact date donors become eligible. The program is designed to give donors an 8 week cushion to come in after they become eligible.

• If you are eligible to donate at the time you sign up, you have 8 weeks to come in to donate to maintain membership status.
• If you are not eligible to donate at the time you sign up, you have 8 weeks to come in to donate from your whole blood eligibility date. This can be found on your donor portal (left side panel except on mobile devices).
• Moving forward all you need to do is come in to donate within 8 weeks from the day you become eligible to donate.

What if I come in and I am unable to donate (e.g., low iron, travel, medication)?
We really appreciate all donors who take time out of their day to save lives with us and understand how disappointing it is to not be able to donate. When a donor is deferred their eligibility date is set for the next time they are eligible to donate (e.g., if deferred for low pulse or blood pressure the date is set to the next day, if deferred for hemoglobin the date is set for two weeks later). As long as the donor returns within 8 weeks of the new date, they will remain a member and continue receiving membership benefits.

Why do we use eligibility dates instead of frequency of donations?
Donors are eligible at different times depending on the type of donation and different types of deferrals (e.g., iron mitigation, travel, surgeries, medication). By using eligibility dates it creates a fair environment and donors will stay in the program as long as they donate when they are eligible.

What are the different donation types and eligibility timelines?
On your donor portal you will see different eligibility dates for whole blood, double red cell, platelet and plasma donations. This can be found on the Donor Snapshot on the left side panel (except when logged in on a mobile device). Your 8-week cushion is based on your whole blood eligibility date. It is very important to always check your donor portal for your eligibility to donate before scheduling your appointment.

• Whole Blood Donation – donors are eligible to donate 8 weeks after a whole blood donation. You have 8 weeks from that date to come in to donate to maintain Guardian Circle membership status. For example, if you donate whole blood on June 25, you are eligible to donate again on August 20. To stay a member, you would need to return to donate blood within 8 weeks (by October 15).
• Double Red Cell Donation – donors are eligible to donate 16 weeks after a double red cell donation. You have 8 weeks from that date to come in to donate to maintain Guardian Circle membership status. For example, if you donate double red cells on June 25, you are eligible to donate again on October 15. To stay a member, you would need to return to donate blood within 8 weeks (by December 10).
• Plasma Donation – donors are eligible to donate 30 days after a plasma donation. You have 8 weeks from that date to come in to donate to maintain Guardian Circle membership status. For example, if you donate plasma on June 25, you are eligible to donate again on July 25. To stay a member, you would need to return to donate blood within 8 weeks (by September 19).
• Platelet Donation – donors are eligible to donate one week after a platelet donation. You have 8 weeks from that date to come in to donate to maintain Guardian Circle membership status. For example, if you donate platelets on June 25, you are eligible to donate again on July 2. To stay a member, you would need to return to donate within 8 weeks (by August 27).
• Concurrent donations of platelet/red cell, plasma/red cell or platelet/plasma/red cell – donation eligibility date used to maintain membership status will be the whole blood eligibility date. Your 8- week cushion begins on that date.

What happens if I do not donate within 8 weeks from the day I become eligible?
Your membership status will move from Member to Expired. The only way membership benefits will expire is if a donor waits more than 8 weeks to come to donate after the whole blood eligibility date. Donors do not have to sign up again if this happens.

How can I get reinstated as a member?
Donor will stay in Expired status until their second donation after expiration. For example:

• A donor signed up on March 25 and was eligible to donate. Donor has until July 20 to come in to donate.
• Donor did not meet the 8-week cushion therefore membership benefits expired.
• Donor returns and donates whole blood on August 15. They will then be eligible on October 10.
• Donor has until December 5 to come in to donate to move back into member status.

Can a donor opt out of the program?
Yes, donors can opt out of the program at any time by emailing rewards@sdbb.org or calling (619) 400-8251.

Can a donor opt back into the program once they have opted out?
If a donor has opted out of the program but changes their mind they will need to re-sign up for the program. They may email rewards@sdbb.org and we will coordinate getting them re-signed up. The need to re-sign up is only for donors who have physically opted out of the program.

When was this program launched and who do I contact if I have more questions?
This program was launched on June 25, 2021. Please contact rewards@sdbb.org if you have any questions.

Gallon Milestone Recognition Program: