MANHATTAN — Stuyvesant Town has become the target of a Midtown sperm bank's ad campaign to bring in young male donors because of the growing number of college students living there.
Manhattan Cryobank distributed fliers — telling residents to "go on spring break, pay for it by donating sperm" — in Stuy Town, specifically because of the students and young graduates living there who fall within the target age of early 20s to early 30s, according to the bank's CEO Ty Kaliski.
The direct mail campaign — which was sent out on Saturday and asks interested parties to fill out an application using the code "STUY" — raised eyebrows among residents, including a longtime resident who only gave her first name as Adele and called the mailers "disgusting."
“I was shocked,” she said. “It’s a private thing and to just put it all over the place was so inappropriate.”
Cryobank typically drums up new donors on Craigslist, but Kaliski said he and his team were looking for a way to quickly reach a large number of viable candidates in the right age range.
“We were looking for creative ways to reach the individuals we want, and our initial strategy was to target NYU undergrad and grad students,” Kaliski said.
“It just appears Stuy Town has the most people in that age range outside the dorms.”
The sperm bank uses financial compensation to attract new donors — you can make up to $1,200 per month if you donate three times a week — but Kaliski said they are not interested in people who are just out to make a quick buck.
“We’re interested in people whose motive is giving back and doing good,” he said.
“We don’t want people focusing just on compensation because, if it’s just about money, it’s not worth your time to donate. This is a life decision. Children are going to be conceived using your specimens.”
For some residents, the ad hit the mark.
“I’ve always thought about doing it,” said Ashkay Misra, 19, who is in his first year of living in Stuy Town.
“It’s good money and the idea of kids out there I don’t know about doesn’t really faze me.”
Some residents said they'd even share the fliers.
“I think they’re great,” said lifelong Stuy Town resident Cathleen Sardo.
“I’m gonna carry it around in case I meet any young men who might need to make a buck.”
