COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
OneLegacy reaches out to Southern California's diverse communities via programs that inspire people to donate life. Our programs help people understand the life-saving and life-enhancing benefits of transplantation, the importance of making an informed decision about donation, and the need to share this decision with one's family. For more information about Donate Life Ambassadors and our community programs, please contact Stephanie Schmitz, Volunteer & Community Events Coordinator, at (714) 961-1356 or sschmitz@onelegacy.org.
Donate Life Ambassadors
Our Donate Life Ambassadors volunteer program provides opportunities for donor family members, transplant recipients and candidates, and donation advocates to participate in OneLegacy's community programs.
Bridging Lives High School Educational Program
Bridging Lives is a 45-minute educational presentation created specifically for high schools. The turn-key presentation delivers factual information about the need for and biology behind organ/tissue transplantation, as well as how the organ donation and allocation process serves this critical social need.
Give Thanks, Give Life: Houses of Worship
Each November and December, OneLegacy gives special attention to houses of worship through interfaith Give Thanks, Give Life Celebrations. It is a special time for congregations across America to celebrate the greatest blessing of all: the gift of life. On a year-round basis, houses of worship can host a Donate Life Ambassador donor family member or transplant recipient speaker or publish a message about organ and tissue donation in newsletters and bulletins.
Donate Life Workplace Partnerships
OneLegacy’s Donate Life Workplace Partnerships is a community education program designed to encourage and support companies, government organizations and other employers in educating their employees and/or customers about the life-saving and life-enhancing benefits of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. By participating in this program—an extension of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Workplace Partnerships for Life initiative—employers can play an important part in inspiring people throughout Southern California to give the gift of life and share their decision with their families.
Donate Life Rose Parade Float
Each New Year's Day, the world focuses its attention on Pasadena, California, home of the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game and the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. Supported by dozens of donation and transplantation organizations nationwide, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float promotes a positive image for organ and tissue donation and transplantation on a world-class stage. Each year, the float involves hundreds of volunteer decorators, including transplant recipients, donor family members, float partners, employees and their families.
Donor Remembrance Ceremonies
Each year, OneLegacy hosts Fields of Gold Donor Remembrance Ceremonies to celebrate the lives and honor the families of those who have given the gift of organ and/or tissue donation. These inspirational events are laden with heartfelt emotion as loved ones are remembered for their generosity in both life and, however untimely, death.
National Donate Life Month
April has been designated National Donate Life Month by the U.S Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson to help raise public awareness of the critical need for organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation.
Donate Life Run/Walk
April's Donate Life Run/Walk at Cal State Fullerton is the largest of several events which inspire Southern Californians to donate life. The run and walk is followed by a Family Health Festival and Expo with area food vendors, free health screenings, live entertainment, special activities for children and a raffle drawing. The annual event was founded by local organizers Craig and Kathleen Hostert of Fullerton. Kathleen, formerly an elementary school teacher and now OneLegacy's Community Partnerships Coordinator, donated a kidney to her husband Craig in 1998.
Donate Life Hollywood
The Donate Life Hollywood initiative is designed to significantly decrease storylines that perpetuate key donation and transplantation myths. By targeting television dramas produced in Los Angeles and New York, this initiative offers writers accurate, inspiring, and real-life portrayals of organ and tissue donation. By helping writers accurately reflect the donation and transplantation process through more compelling storylines, Donate Life Hollywood inspires greater public support and acceptance for organ and tissue donation.
Donate Life Kingdom Day Parade Float
For more than 20 years, thousands of people of various ethnic and racial backgrounds line the streets of South Los Angeles in tribute to the slain civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the “Kingdom Day Parade.” The 2008 Donate Life Kingdom Day Parade Float entry, "The Gift of Life Around the World", features 14 riders aboard a 30-foot-long, 14-foot-high float, presenting a positive image for organ and tissue donation and transplantation on an authentic community stage.
Bridging Lives Quilt
The Bridging Lives Quilt visually displays the bond between organ and tissue donors and the recipients who received the gift of life, sight and/or mobility. Modeled after the National Kidney Foundation’s Donor Family Quilt, the quilt honors Southern California donors and their families and allows transplant recipients to express their gratitude for the gift of life. OneLegacy is proud to sponsor this quilt in partnership with To Quilt 'n Sew, a quilting store in Bakersfield whose employees have been deeply touched by donation and transplantation.
Multicultural Outreach
When it comes to reaching the diverse population of Southern California, it is important that they hear about donation from people who are part of their community. OneLegacy mobilizes Asian, Hispanic and African-American community specialists who understand how cultural traditions, religious beliefs and perceptions of the health care system affect attitudes regarding donation. OneLegacy staff and Donate Life Ambassadors are equipped with culturally appropriate marketing materials and talking points to communicate the donation message effectively.
Community Health Fairs
There are hundreds of health fairs across Southern California each year. Only through the involvement of Donate Life Ambassadors are we able to have a presence at many of these events. Health fairs are fun, festive and an excellent opportunity to provide information on organ and tissue donation and transplantation to a motivated audience. Please contact Stephanie Schmitz, Volunteer & Community Events Coordinator, at (213) 595-8091 or sschmitz@onelegacy.org to schedule OneLegacy's participation in your event.