Give blood.
That’s the simple message of two friends from New Jersey who stopped by San Bernardino on their quest to raise awareness of the nation’s blood shortage.
In a retrofitted ambulance, Marie Forrestal and Lori Talbot drove into town on Route 66, a news release states.
A crew films Lori Talbot and Marie Forrestal meeting patients and donors at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17, 2026. Talbot and Forrestal are documenting the national blood shortage during a cross-country road trip for their film “Miles of Kindness.” (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
New Jersey residents Marie Forrestal, left, and Lori Talbot are seen Friday, July 17, 2026, with their retrofitted ambulance outside LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. The friends are traveling the country filming a documentary to raise awareness about the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG
Blood donor and advocate Aly Ruiz speaks Friday, July 17, 2026, with New Jersey residents Lori Talbot and Marie Forrestal at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. The friends are filming a documentary to raise awareness of the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Blood donor and advocate Aly Ruiz talks Friday, July 17, 2026, with New Jersey residents Lori Talbot and Marie Forrestal at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. The friends are traveling the country filming a documentary to raise awareness about the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Blood recipient Noah Walker, accompanied by his mother Valerie Palmatier and grandmother Pilar Palmatier speaks Friday, July 17, 2026, with New Jersey residents Marie Forrestal and Lori Talbot at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. The friends are traveling across the country filming a documentary to raise awareness of the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
The retrofitted ambulance belonging to New Jersey residents Lori Talbot and Marie Forrestal is parked Friday, July 17, 2026, outside LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. The two are traveling Route 66 on a cross-country trip while filming a documentary about the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
New Jersey residents Marie Forrestal, left, and Lori Talbot are seen Friday, July 17, 2026, with their retrofitted ambulance outside LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. They are filming a documentary to raise awareness about the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG
A documentary film crew records Lori Talbot on Friday, July 17, 2026, as she meets blood donor Dexter Emoto at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17, 2026. Talbot and Marie Forrestal are documenting the national blood shortage during a cross-country road trip for their film “Miles of Kindness.” (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
A documentary film crew records Marie Forrestal, foreground, and Lori Talbot meeting blood donor Dexter Emoto at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17, 2026. Talbot and Forrestal are examining the national blood shortage during a cross-country road trip for their film “Miles of Kindness.” (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
A film crew chronicles the Friday, July 17, 2026, visit of New Jersey residents Lori Talbot, left, and Marie Forrestal to LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center. Blood donor and advocate Aly Ruiz shares her story with the longtime friends concerned about a blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Blood donor and advocate Aly Ruiz, left, shares her story with New Jersey residents Lori Talbot, left, and Marie Forrestal at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17, 2026. The longtime friends are traveling across the country filming a documentary to raise awareness about the national blood shortage. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
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A crew films Lori Talbot and Marie Forrestal meeting patients and donors at LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17, 2026. Talbot and Forrestal are documenting the national blood shortage during a cross-country road trip for their film “Miles of Kindness.” (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
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They filmed a documentary called “Miles of Kindness” as they went along. The production came to LifeStream’s San Bernardino Donor Center on Friday, July 17.
They interviewed blood bank donors and staff to support their goal of inspiring 2,500 blood donations — one for every mile they’ve traveled, according to the release.
They hope to “start a movement to end the ongoing blood shortage through stories of kindness, resilience, and community connection gathered across America,” the release states.
The trek, which began July 7, ended Saturday, July 18, with a celebration on the Santa Monica Pier.