Trusting Heart Blood Centers: Defunct Platelet Collection Site

What was Trusting Heart Blood Centers?

Trusting Heart Blood Centers was a platelet collection agency that aimed to solve the nationwide platelet shortage by paying donors and treating them like they’re going to a spa. However, as of this update in February 2025, all of the company’s locations appear to be closed.

How it worked

Consumers who wanted to donate platelets — which are clotting agents in your blood — would find a Trusting Heart Location and make an appointment. When they arrived, donors would answer screening questions to make sure they could donate. Then, they’d be set up in a semi-private cubicle with a lounger, blanket and television remote to watch t.v. during the roughly two hours it will take to draw platelets. And they’d be paid generously.

What happened to Trusting Heart Blood Centers?

This site, which promised to pay platelet donors generously for repeat donations, launched and failed in semi-record time.

Opening its first platelet collection center in 2020, the site gathered a great deal of good press for attempting to solve the blood and platelet availability crisis. Trusting Heart’s solution: Pay people big money to donate and to refer their friends.

But, the economics of the arrangement apparently didn’t pencil out. Trusting Heart Blood Centers and its parent, Secure Transfusion Solutions, went out of business in October 2023.

Though little is written about what exactly happened to the company, we suspect their payment formula was simply too generous to last.

What they paid

Donors were automatically enrolled in the center’s rewards program, which paid donors upwards of $75 per donation (about $35 per hour) in 2023. But it paid more to those who gave platelets regularly. If you gave at least four times, the site paid $100 per donation. The maximum donor payment was $175 per donation after 13 consecutive donations. If you donate the maximum allowable number of times — 24 in 2023 — you could earn $3,450. (And, more, of course, if you referred friends.)

If you referred a friend, who also donated platelets, you’d get $125 and so would they. You also get paid $25 for coming in for your first blood screening.

Time and limitations

Since platelet donations typically take 90 minutes to two hours, SideHusl.com divided the payments by two to come up with an estimated hourly rate of $35 to $87.50. Not half bad. And, you got the psychological lift of knowing that your donation may also save someone’s life.

However, you could only donate once every two weeks, so you couldn’t make a living at this. (For health reasons, the FDA restricts donations to no more than one per week; and 24 per year. Trusting Heart Blood Centers restricted people from donating more than once every two weeks.)

Working conditions

The downside to platelet donation is that someone is going to stick a needle in your arm. If you’re afraid of blood or needles, this may not be a good side hustle for you. But, for everyone else, there couldn’t be an easier way to make money.

Outside of the needle, your “work” involves answering a few questions about your lifestyle and health and sitting in a lounge chair, under a blanket, watching t.v. or reading a book. If you want a drink or snack, someone will bring it to you. And when you’re done, they’re going to want to give you more juice and cookies.

Payments

Payments were made to a fee-free, reloadable debit card and can be accumulated over time. These cards can be used at most retailers, much like a credit card.

Recommendations:

Trusting Heart Blood Centers are no longer an option. But, you can find a similar opportunity by donating plasma with Biomat or Octapharma Plasma. Donating plasma is much like donating platelets, but it takes a little less time. The process, however, is exactly the same. Better yet, both Biomat and Octapharma have more locations than Trusting Heart did, which makes it easier to find a nearby donation center.

And, if you want to do more to help with medical research while getting paid, consider clinical trials.  (Learn more about clinical trials here.)

2/10/2025