During World War II, the Civil Defense organized something called a Plasma Bank in our community. Local physicians and other community leaders quickly realized that the Civil Defense Plasma Bank could someday evolve into a full-fledged local Blood Bank. A blood bank could help keep this community healthy and safe.

By 1946, new post-war Studebakers were rolling-off local assembly lines, Harry Truman was our President, and this community had its first real Blood Bank. Five years later, in 1951, the Central Blood Bank was established as a separate corporation under the auspices of the Junior League of South Bend. League members served as volunteers in the procurement of donors and in the performance of clerical work. In May, 1969, the Central Blood Bank merged with South Bend Medical Foundation. In 1975, The American Association of Blood Banks, which is the accrediting agency for blood banks, required that all blood donors had to be volunteers. Prior to that time, donors were actually paid a small amount of money for their donations.

Today, the South Bend Medical Foundation and St. Joseph County Chapter of the American Red Cross work together to recruit volunteer blood donors to benefit the citizens of this community. The American Red Cross employs phone operators to call volunteer blood donors and schedule appointments for blood donations. South Bend Medical Foundation collects, tests, processes and distributes all of that local blood, right here in this community for local patients who need it. The Foundation and the Red Cross remain in daily contact to monitor the blood supply and recruit and retain volunteer blood donors when they're needed.