Gainesville, Florida hospitals (Alachua General Hospital, UF Health Shands Hospital and North Florida Regional Medical Center) all agreed that a non-profit community blood center was the answer and made an appeal to all local civic organizations.

Members backed a loan with their own money to start what they called Civitan Regional Blood Center – today known as LifeSouth Community Blood Centers.

For the past 40 years, LifeSouth has grown at the request of hospitals in need of a community blood supplier.

Today, LifeSouth has close to 1,000 employees and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization overseeing an annual budget of nearly $80 million.

The LifeSouth Community Foundation educates and raises awareness of the ways to share life with others through the donation of blood, apheresis, marrow, cord blood, organ and tissue.