FairHaven Funeral Home was proud to open its doors to the community this month for a Community Blood Drive focused on saving lives, supporting local organizations, and connecting families with valuable resources throughout the Augusta area.
Community members joined FairHaven staff for the event, which brought together several local organizations with a shared commitment to serving others. Most importantly, donors rolled up their sleeves to support The Blood Connection, resulting in the collection of 22 units of blood for patients in need.
For FairHaven Funeral Home, hosting the drive was an opportunity to show how a funeral home can serve its community in ways that extend far beyond times of loss.
“Our profession is centered on caring for people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, but we believe that care should extend to our community every day,” said
Andy Amato, Manager of FairHaven Funeral Home. “This blood drive gave us an opportunity to bring people together for something incredibly positive: saving lives, supporting a wonderful local nonprofit, and connecting our neighbors with resources that can make a difference.”
The event also benefited GiGi’s Playhouse Augusta, a local nonprofit that provides free educational, therapeutic, and career-development programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Through the community’s participation, FairHaven helped raise $220 for the organization.
Representatives from Via Cognitive Health also joined the event, sharing information and resources related to cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Their participation allowed attendees to learn more about resources available to individuals and families navigating cognitive changes.
The Blood Connection thanked FairHaven and its staff for helping make the drive a success, noting that the 22 units collected have the potential to help save many lives throughout the community.
The day even included an unexpected treat when a local Girl Scout stopped by with a surplus of cookies, adding an extra dose of sweetness to an already uplifting afternoon.
FairHaven team members
Andy Amato, Manager, and Stevie Rodriguez, Funeral Director, were on hand to welcome attendees and help make the event possible.
Funeral homes are often associated with saying goodbye, but FairHaven believes they can also be places where communities come together, relationships are strengthened, and neighbors support one another.
The Community Blood Drive was a meaningful reminder of just that: when a community comes together with a desire to help, even a single afternoon can have a lasting impact.
