Orange County Clerk Annie Rabbitt announced that the County’s Department of Motor Vehicles is teaming up with LiveOnNY during Donate Life Month to increase enrollment in the New York State Donate Life Registry. Donate Life Month is a national observance which raises awareness about the need for organ, eye, and tissue donation.

LiveOnNY is a non-profit, federally designated organ procurement organization for the greater New York Metropolitan area. Rabbitt and the County’s DMV staff were joined by former Orange County Executive Ed Diana at a Donate Life Month kickoff event at the Government Center on Monday, April 8. Diana, who now serves as Town of Wallkill’s Supervisor, received a lifesaving liver transplant in November of 2013. His surgery came five years after he learned that he was suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

“Organ donation saves lives and we are proud to be partnering with LiveOnNY on this important initiative,” Rabbitt said. “This initiative will help to educate Orange County residents on how they can make a huge impact on other people’s lives by becoming an organ donor. I’m proud that our DMV staff has been so enthusiastic about raising awareness about promoting this important and worthwhile program.”

During April, the staff at Orange County’s DMV office at the Orange County Government Center in Goshen will encourage residents to learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and the impact it has on many lives. The offices will feature promotional items to urge visitors to make a difference and give the gift of life by registering as donors. Enrolling in the Donate Life Registry ensures that an individual’s wishes about donation will be known at the time of his or her death.

New Yorkers age 16 and older can enroll at their local DMV offices by signing the organ donor consent certification. This can be found on the forms used to apply or renew a driver license or non-driver identification card. When you enroll using this method, a symbol of a red heart and the words “Organ Donor” will be printed on the front of your driver license or non-driver identification card at no extra cost.

New Yorkers can also enroll in the Donate Life Registry electronically through the DMV website: dmv.ny.gov if they have a driver license or non-driver identification card. This method of enrollment will not result in a new driver license or non-driver identification card with a red heart symbol and the words “Organ Donor.”

New Yorkers also have the unique opportunity to enroll in the New York State Donate Life registry through the voter registration form.