Georgia Trauma Foundation – a nonprofit investing in trauma care to help save lives in Georgia – is raising funds to help provide bleeding control kits to schools. This initiative will be done in partnership with GAgives and takes place December 3 as part of GivingTuesday 2024.

“Uncontrolled bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death following a traumatic injury,” says Cheryle Ward, executive director of Georgia Trauma Foundation. “In this case, minutes truly matter. And helping provide bleeding control kits directly contributes to saving lives and improving public safety.”

Funds raised will benefit Georgia Trauma Commission’s Bleeding Control Kit Program, which provides bleeding control kits to schools. These tools empower individuals to take immediate life-saving action in emergencies. In situations where severe bleeding occurs – whether from accidents or violent incidents – time is critical, as uncontrolled bleeding can lead to death within three to five minutes, if not controlled. 

These kits contain easy-to-use tools, such as tourniquets, gauze, and pressure bandages, that can be quickly learned and applied, even by those with minimal training. Equipping schools with these kits ensures that life-saving measures can begin before emergency responders arrive to provide the necessary trauma care.

To date, more than 50,000 kits have been distributed across the state, and tens of thousands have been trained in bleeding control techniques. 

Led by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), GAgives on GivingTuesday is a giving movement that rallies Georgians to support important local causes, while helping Georgia’s nonprofits increase fundraising and audience reach. 

“By raising funds for the Georgia Trauma Commission’s Bleeding Control Kit Program, we’re taking a big step in furthering our mission of investing in trauma care to help save lives in Georgia,” Ward says.

Donations can be made by visiting GAgives.org and GeorgiaTraumaFoundation.org.