‘THE WOMEN’S CONCERT FOR CHANGE: LIVE FROM LONDON,’ A GLOBAL CONCERT EVENT FOR FEMALE EMPOWERMENT, TO AIR SUNDAY, JUNE 2

Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding, Florence + the Machine, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Timbaland and Others to Perform in Two-Hour Musical Special

NEW YORK — May 22, 2013 — NBC is set to air “The Women’s Concert for Change: Live from London,” a live concert event from Twickenham Stadium in London, on Sunday, June 2 (9-11 p.m. ET).

“The Women’s Concert for Change: Live from London” is the centerpiece of Chime for Change, a new campaign to raise funds and awareness for female empowerment around the world, distributed to non-profit organizations focused in the key areas of education, health care and justice.

Beyoncé, the international superstar and co-founder of Chime for Change, will headline the concert event, with additional performances by Ellie Goulding, Florence + the Machine, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Timbaland and more.

Presenters will include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Blake Lively, Gloria Steinem, Jada Pinkett-Smith, James Franco, Madonna, Salma Hayek Pinault, Zoe Saldana and many others. PSAs featuring Franco, Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and other influential A-list celebrities will also be a part of the special.

The global concert event will be broadcast live from London to over 175 countries, and will serve to celebrate inspirational stories from around the world, generate awareness about the issues that affect girls and women, and raise funds for non-profit organizations pursuing change.

“The Women’s Concert for Change: Live from London” is produced by Control Room, in association with Harvey Goldsmith.

ABOUT CONTROL ROOM:
Led by Emmy Award-winning producer Kevin Wall and president and executive producer Aaron Grosky, Control Room has been the producing force behind some of the world’s largest events, including Live 8, Live Earth, the FIFA World Cup Kickoff Concert in South Africa, and the William J. Clinton 10th anniversary concert. Together with Gucci, Control Room will be the executive producers and distributors of the Chime for Change global event.

Please follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NBC and on Twitter at @NBC.

UNAIDS reports more than 7 million people now on HIV treatment across Africa––with nearly 1 million added in the last year—while new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS continue to fall

UNAIDS Press Release – GENEVA, 21 May 2013—As the African Union (AU) begins its 21st summit in Addis Ababa, celebrating 50 years of African unity, The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has released Update a new report on the AIDS response in Africa, documenting the remarkable recent progress against HIV on the continent.

The number of people in Africa receiving antiretroviral treatment increased from less than 1 million in 2005 to 7.1 million in 2012, with nearly 1 million added in the last year alone. AIDS-related deaths are also continuing to fall––reducing by 32% from 2005 to 2011 as are the numbers of new HIV infections which have fallen by 33% from 2001 to 2011. The report attributes this success to strong leadership and shared responsibility in Africa and among the global community. It also urges sustained commitment to ensure Africa achieves zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

“Africa has been relentless in its quest to turn the AIDS epidemic around,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “As we celebrate 50 years of African unity, let us also celebrate the achievements Africa has made in responding to HIV—and recommit to pushing forward so that future generations can grow up free from AIDS.”

Africa continues to be more affected by HIV than any other region of the world, accounting for 69% of people living with HIV globally. Despite positive trends, in 2011 there were still 1.8 million new HIV infections across the continent, and 1.2 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

African leadership

UNAIDS’ Update highlights key elements of the AIDS response in a number of African countries. South Africa, for example, is rapidly scaling up access to HIV treatment, with a 20% increase in the number of people receiving therapy from 2011-2012 alone. Sixteen countries—Botswana, Ghana, Gambia, Gabon, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—now ensure that more than three-quarters of pregnant women living with HIV receive antiretroviral medicine to prevent transmission to their child.

The report also affirms that AU leadership is essential to reverse the epidemic.  Last year, African leaders adopted a Roadmap on Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity for AIDS, TB and Malaria Response in Africa, which laid out a response plan to improve health governance, diversify financing, and accelerate access to affordable, high quality medicines. At the Summit, AIDS Watch Africa, a platform for advocacy and accountability for the responses to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria founded by African leaders in 2001, will review progress in these broad areas and measure whether national, regional, continental and global stakeholders have met their commitments.

Global solidarity

At the AU Summit, in recognition of the role the international community has played, the African Union Commission, with NEPAD and UNAIDS, will launch the first thematic accountability report on the AU-G8 partnership, Delivering results towards ending AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa. A unique contribution to monitoring and driving further commitments by the AU and G8, the report calls on both AU member states and members of the G8 to exercise greater leadership, particularly around access to medicines, sustainable financing, human rights and gender equality.

The post-2015 agenda

In Update, Mr Sidibé emphasizes that sustained attention to the AIDS response post-2015 will enhance progress on other global health priorities. He also further lays the groundwork for the post-2015 agenda by identifying five lessons in the AIDS response that will improve the world’s approach to global health. He calls for focusing on people, not diseases; leveraging the strength of culture and communities; building strong, accountable global heath institutions; mobilizing both domestic and international financial commitments; and elevating health as a force for social transformation.

“These strategies have been fundamental to Africa’s success at halting and reversing the AIDS epidemic and will support the next 50 years of better health, across borders and across diseases,” said Mr Sidibé.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, BULGARI AND JESSICA CHASTAIN 
CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
CLEOPATRA AT THE 2013 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Celebrity Guests Included Adrien Brody, Clive Owen, Laura Dern, Chris Tucker, 

Tomorrow, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will hold a historic vote on equality, and what the BSA hears today will make all the difference. That’s why James Dale – a former Eagle Scout whose membership was revoked by the BSA after he came out as gay – has a special request:

Right now, anti-gay forces are organizing a nationwide effort in support of keeping the discriminatory ban on gay Scouts and leaders. That’s why it’s more important than ever that you show your support for equality right now.

Please join James Dale and take two minutes to show the Boy Scouts that the majority of Americans support equality. Add an equality badge to your Facebook and Twitter profile pictures with our tool at www.glaad.org/scouts - and encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same.

Take action at http://www.glaad.org/scouts

For more information about GLAAD’s campaign to bring equality to the Boy Scouts of America, please visit http://www.glaad.org,http://facebook.com/glaad, and http://twitter.com/glaad.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY RELEASES ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING OF

KINKY BOOTS

Recording Available May 28^TH 2013

Music & Lyrics by Grammy Award-winning Rock Icon Cyndi Lauper

“Cyndi Lauper’s infectious score is cause for celebration!” – Entertainment Weekly

“A heat-seeking score that performs like a pop star on ecstasy.” – The New York Time

“The best Broadway score in years.” – ABC-TV

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY announces the release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Kinky Boots. Produced by Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus, William Wittman and Sammy James, Jr., the album will be available on Tuesday, May 28^th, 2013.

Kinky Boots opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013 to rave reviews. USA Today called it “a sizzling, high-spirited new musical that’s bound to put cheer in your heart!” Broadway’s new high-heeled hit has also been chosen as the critic’s pick by The New York Times, New York magazine and Time Out New York, as well as Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List.”

In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price (Tony® Award nominee Stark Sands) has suddenly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola (Billy Porter). A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.

Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax motion picture written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, Kinky Boots features a warm and witty book by four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies) and a richly diverse musical score from Grammy® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper, in her stunning theatrical debut. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, La Cage, Broadway Bares), with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus (Book of Mormon, Wicked).

Tony® Award nominee Stark Sands and Billy Porter lead a cast of thirty-two that also includes Annaleigh Ashford, Celina Carvajal, Daniel Sherman, Marcus Neville, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Taylor Parker, Kyle Post, Charlie Sutton, Joey Taranto, Andy Kelso, Tory Ross, Jennifer Perry, Adinah Alexander, Eric Anderson, Eugene Barry-Hill, Stephen Berger, Caroline Bowman, Cole Bullock, Sandra DeNise, Jonah Halperin, Eric Leviton, Ellyn Marie Marsh, John Jeffrey Martin, Marquise Neal, Nathan Peck, Robert Pendilla, Lucia Spina, Sebastian Hedges Thomas and Timothy Ware.

Kinky Boots is produced on Broadway by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Independent Presenters Network, CJ E&M, Jayne Baron Sherman, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergere, Allan S. Gordon & Adam S. Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy and Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein and Dorsey Regal, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Michael DeSantis/Patrick Baugh, Brian Smith/Tom and Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp, and Jujamcyn Theaters.

Masterworks Broadway is a label of Sony Masterworks.  For email updates and information on Masterworks Broadway please visit www.masterworksbroadway.com.  For more information on the musical, please visit www.kinkybootsthemusical.com.

Amazon: http://myplay.me/112w

iTunes: http://myplay.me/112x

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kinky-boots-original-broadway-cast/26236282?ean=888837330329

ENTER TO WIN ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING OF KINKY BOOTS

Today we have a  treat for you, we are giving away 6 copies of The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Kinky Boots. To enter for a chance to win, all you need to do is simply complete the forms below with your name and mailing address where we can send the prize should you win.

Keep in mind Only US and Canada entries allowed

We will only use your address details to send you your prize, and all entries will be deleted once the contest closes.

We will choose the winners at random May 30, 2013, at 5PM EST. The winners will be notified via e-mail.

The Making Of Kinky Boots – Original Broadway Cast Recording

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Twitter: #KinkyBootsBway

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Tracklisting

1 Price and Son Theme / The Most Beautiful Thing in the World

2 Take What You Got

3 Land of Lola

4 Charlie’s Soliloquy

5 Step One

6 Sex Is In The Heel

7 The History of Wrong Guys

8 Not My Father’s Son

9 Everybody Say Yeah

10 What A Woman Wants

11 In This Corner

12 Charlie’s Soliloquy Reprise

13 Soul of a Man

14 Hold Me in Your Heart

15 Raise You Up / Just Be

INDIA.ARIE UNVEILS ARTWORK FOR
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW STUDIO ALBUM SONGVERSATION
OUT JUNE 25TH ON SOULBIRD / MOTOWN RECORDS
First Single “Cocoa Butter” Available Now

Multi Grammy-winning, iconic singer-songwriter India.Arie has unveiled the artwork for her long awaited, highly anticipated fifth studio album titled SongVersation, out on June 25th (Soulbird/ Motown Records).  Produced by India.Arie & Grammy-winning songwriter Shannon Sanders with additional production from singer-songwriter David Ryan Harris and songwriter Michael Ruff, the album was recorded in Atlanta and Los Angeles, and marks the songstress’ first studio release in four years.   The album’s first single “Cocoa Butter” is available for purchase on iTunes. The single is also available for streaming HERE.

“The Making of this album has been one of THE MOST important experiences of my career,” said Arie.  “Every time I make an album, it’s an important and tumultuous and nuanced and  complex and dynamic process of going into the Woods and coming out with the Holy Grail … the Holy Grail being the internal growth that becomes fertile ground for new songs. This album was a process of MANY JOURNEYS all happening at once, culminating in not just a fertile ground, but a fertile ground on a different land.”

ABOUT INDIA.ARIE:
World renowned award winning singer/songwriter India.Arie came onto the national music scene in 2001 with her Motown Records debut ACOUSTIC SOUL.  She followed up in 2002 with her sophomore release VOYAGE TO INDIA and then in 2006 released her third album, the more personally expressive TESTIMONY: Vol. 1, LIFE & RELATIONSHIP.  TESTIMONY VOL. 2, LOVE AND POLITICS, her fourth studio album, released in 2009.  All four releases received critical acclaim and made India a highly respected and noted artist in a very short amount of time. She has sold an impressive 10 million albums worldwide and has received numerous awards and nominations including a staggering 21 Grammy nominations, 4 Grammy Awards, 3 NAACP Image awards, as well as awards from BET, Billboard, MTV, VH1, Vogue Fashion, Essence Magazine and others.  In between touring and writing music, India also finds the time to help promote causes close to her heart. She is an avid supporter of female empowerment, and is a US Ambassador for UNICEF.  She has performed alongside legendary acts such as Stevie Wonder, Sting, Elton John, Adele, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Bette Midler and Michael McDonald amongst others, written with Stevie Wonder on the title track of his 2005 studio album “A Time For Love,” and has been featured on other various songs including John Mellencamp’s “Peaceful World.” She has performed on such prestigious television specials as The Kennedy Center Honors, The NAACP Awards and The Grammy Awards and has performed for President Obama, Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama and at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.  India recently formed SoulBird, a new lifestyle company with the mission to spread love, healing, peace and joy through the power of words and music.  Started simply as an avenue for India to release music, the company has quickly expanded to include other vehicles for India’s messaging including events, merchandise, apparel, music and book publishing, film and TV and other exciting endeavors.  For more information, please visit www.indiaarie.com and www.soulbird.com.

Harvey was a pioneer of the 20th century. His struggle and his deeds will prove to history that there’s no such thing as a gay way, there is only one way. We can make Harvey live forever by continuing to do things his way, in the deeds and in the accomplishments of our daily efforts to make our world live.

He believed broad public education and dialogue was paramount to his life’s work as a civil rights leader and with your energy we hope you will work to inspire individuals, communities and organizations to carry on his values in a timeless vision for a better world.

listen to an excerpt from his speech in 1978.

“Somewhere in Des Moines or San Antonio there is a young gay person who all the sudden realizes that he or she is gay; knows that if their parents find out they will be tossed out of the house, their classmates will taunt the child, and the Anita Bryant’s and John Briggs’ are doing their part on TV. And that child has several options: staying in the closet, and suicide. And then one day that child might open the paper that says “Homosexual elected in San Francisco” and there are two new options: the option is to go to California, or stay in San Antonio and fight. Two days after I was elected I got a phone call and the voice was quite young. It was from Altoona, Pennsylvania. And the person said “Thanks”. And you’ve got to elect gay people, so that thousand upon thousands like that child know that there is hope for a better world; there is hope for a better tomorrow. Without hope, not only gays, but those who are blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors, the us’s: without hope the us’s give up. I know that you can’t live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and you, and you have got to give them hope.”-Harvey Milk, 1978

http://milkfoundation.org/
http://www.harveymilkday.co/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialHarveyMilkDay
https://twitter.com/HMilkFoundation

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – In advance of Memorial Day, the Respect for Marriage Coalition hosted a call featuring Former Congressman, Army Captain and Iraq War Veteran Patrick Murphy, Outserve-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson , American Military Partner Association Director of Family Affairs Ashley Broadway and military widow Karen Morgan to highlight the harms of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on the nation’s military and to urge the Supreme Court to strike down the discriminatory law and extend the freedom to marry nationwide.

According to Gallup, LGBT Americans make up 3.5 percent of the overall population. Assuming the same proportion of LGBT service members exists among the 1.5 million active and reserve members currently enlisted in the armed forces, between 50,000-60,000 members of the military would be unjustly affected by DOMA if or when they are married.

While DOMA harms all married same-sex couples, it is particularly hostile to those serving in the military, where 70 percent of an active-duty service member’s compensation comes in the form of benefits and allowances. Withholding such a significant portion of these benefits, which are intended to care for the spouse of a military member, inflicts significant financial burdens on military families headed by same-sex spouses.

“The harms of DOMA aren’t abstract—they are real tangible injustices that hurt children and their parents,” said former Congressman Patrick Murphy . “For those serving our country, equality delayed is equality denied. The same benefits and opportunities should be available to every service member and their family.”

Yesterday, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released a video that tells that story of Karen Morgan who, because of DOMA, faces innumerable challenges following the loss of her wife, CW2 Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard.

“DOMA haunts almost every aspect of my family’s life, and it doesn’t measure up to our values of freedom and equality that we’ve set as a standard for our way of life in the United States,” said Morgan. “It’s time for the best of who we are as a nation to prevail so that equality is applied fairly to all the citizens of our country.”

“Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan was a courageous fighter for our country, for her family, and for the equality of all who wear the uniform of our nation. Today, her wife Karen carries on that fight, a fight no military spouse should ever have to wage. The time has come to end the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure equal recognition, benefits, and support for all loving and committed military couples and their families,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive DirectorAllyson Robinson .

Because DOMA defines marriage for federal purposes as “between one man and one woman,” same-sex military couples cannot qualify for many protections available to other couples, including health care, housing assistance, primary next of kin status and survivor’s benefits.

“For far too long, our LGBT military families have been treated as if they aren’t important and as if they don’t matter,” said Ashley Broadway of the American Military Partner Association, the nation’s premier resource and support network for LGBT military families. “We serve our nation, but without the same support and benefits needed to care for our families. For the sake of our children and family readiness, we must end the discrimination and exclusion caused by DOMA.”

Next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in United States v. Windsor, which challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. If DOMA is struck down, the Court’s ruling would have an historic and monumental impact in establishing equal treatment for all service members and their families.

Below are some of the specific benefits that are not extended to same-sex military families.

The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 100 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women’s organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry.  The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.

Only Out Former Major League Baseball Player Calls for a Return to Sportsmanship

The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation today announced that former major league baseball player Billy Bean has been named vice-chairman of its board. He will focus on helping professional leagues and athletes at all levels commit themselves to the fairness, equality, dignity and respect that defines true sportsmanship.

The Foundation, founded and chaired by rugby World Cup Champion Ben Cohen , MBE, is the world’s first dedicated to anti-bullying and equality in sports.  Billy Bean is the only out former major league baseball player.

“We believe it sends a powerful signal to all athletes and fans to see two highly accomplished professional sports stars, one straight and one gay, join forces to advance the acceptance and inclusion reshaping sports today,” said Patrick T. Davis , chief executive officer of StandUp.

Billy Bean played major league baseball from 1987 through 1995. He broke into the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers, and tied a major league record with four hits in his first major league game. He went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. He kept his personal life a secret from the public and the sports world, before coming out as gay in 1999.

“I want people to learn from my pain and journey, not repeat it. My dream is to help end this social epidemic called bullying that so many kids are subjected to each and every day in locker rooms and on playing fields,” Billy Bean said. “I believe we are nearing that moment in time when athletes lead the way as role models for fairness once again. I am honored to serve StandUp as vice-chairman to help make that dream a reality.”

“Billy has worked tirelessly to dispel the myths and stereotypes that follow LGBT athletes. We can think of no better way to help create understanding, respect and real sportsmanship than from one major league athlete to another. It is at our core, and Billy will extend our work in professional sports,” said Ben Cohen .

“As an organization founded and led by a professional athlete, we can connect with other athletes and teams in especially authentic ways.  Ben and Billy know what it is like inside the teams.  We fund real-world work that makes an impact because we understand professional sports organizations and what their communities expect from them,” said Alison Doerfler , executive director of the Foundation.

Changes to blood donor guidelines
Deferral policy for men who have sex with men reduced
from indefinite to five years

Ottawa, ON (May 22, 2013) ‐ Canadian Blood Services has received approval from Health Canada to reduce the current men who have sex with men (MSM) deferral period from indefinite to five years from last MSM activity.

The change will be implemented by summer 2013, allowing time to adjust our screening procedures.

Internationally, there is no medical consensus on blood donor screening practices for MSM. Some countries in Europe and the United States maintain lifetime bans. The UK and Australia have moved to a one-year deferral, and others have different practices altogether.

“We recognize that many people will feel that this change does not go far enough, but given the history of the blood system in Canada, we see this as a first and prudent step forward on this policy,” says Dr. Dana Devine, VP of Medical, Scientific and Research Affairs at Canadian Blood Services. “It’s the right thing to do and we are committed to regular review of this policy as additional data emerge and new technologies are implemented.”

Blood donor screening will be changed to ask potential male donors whether they have had sex with a man in the past five years rather than ”even once, since 1977” – which is how it has read up until now. The change means that any man who has not had sex with another man in the last five years and meets other screening criteria may be eligible to give blood.

Canadian Blood Services has been actively pursuing data to inform a policy change on MSM for several years. In September 2011, the Canadian Blood Services board of directors passed a motion committing to re-examine this policy, with a view to reduce this lifetime exclusion to no less than five years and no longer than 10 years.

After conducting more risk analysis and extensive consultation with scientific experts and with patient and community groups, Canadian Blood Services submitted a policy change request simultaneously with Héma-Québec to Health Canada in December of 2012.

Jennifer Breakspear, the executive director of Options for Sexual Health, participated in those consultations and is now co-chair of the Canadian Blood Services MSM deferral policy working group. “After years of speaking against this policy, I recently gave blood again for the first time in many years. I was always proud of being a blood donor and now I am proud to work with Canadian Blood Services for change”, she said. “I will continue to advocate for gender neutral behaviour based screening but this change is a step in the right direction. I applaud Canadian Blood Services for arranging consultations with LGTB groups and patient groups. The collaborative experience helped everyone involved develop greater understanding and empathy for each other.”

Letters of support from organizations such as The Canadian Hemophilia Society, EGALE Canada, Thalassemia Foundation of Canada, Options for Sexual Health, Canadian Immunodeficiencies Patient Organization, and Canadian AIDS Society were sent to the Federal Minister of Health and shows the will and desire of LGTB groups and patient groups to collaborate on reform of this policy.

The policy change stipulates that blood operators must closely monitor and report the potential impacts of this change in terms of transmissible disease rates back to the regulator.

About Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. Canadian Blood Services also oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, and provides national leadership for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Canadian Blood Services operates 42 permanent collection sites and more than 20,000 donor clinics annually. The provincial and territorial Ministries of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system. To book an appointment or for more information, visit us at www.blood.ca or call 1 888 2 DONATE.