BY NICOLE KARAS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM

In an effort to increase the amount of New Jersey organ donors, Governor Chris Christie pledged that he would become a donor when he dies, NJSpotlight.com reported.

Although New Jersey is only 40th on the list of highest percentage of residents registered to be organ donors, state officials are hoping to improve that ranking.

In 2012, the amount of registered donors grew to 718,000 from 639,000 New Jersey motorists in 2011.

Elisse Glennon, the executive director for the non-profit New Jersey Sharing Network that oversees donations, attributes the 3.3 percent increase to the recent efforts of state officials.

According to ABC, the governor has now declared April to be “Donate Life” month.

This move follows his signing of the A-1265 bill last year, which makes it mandatory for the state government to inform citizens of organ and tissue donation on their paychecks.

Last year alone, there were 28,000 organ transplants and 1 million tissue transplants across the nation, NJSpotlight.com reported.

“I would encourage anybody out there who hasn’t done it to do it,” Christie said. “I think it’s incredibly important for saving lives.”

There are 110 million registered donors in America currently with 2.3 million of those from New Jersey, according to NJ.gov.

“It’s the greatest, most valuable gift that any one of us can give to a loved one or a stranger,” Christie said.