During the fall of 2001, the polarized source at MIT delivered over 140 Coulombs of high quality polarized beams to the SAMPLE‐III 125 MeV parity violating experiment. Prior to the experiment, the source was reconfigured to deliver highly polarized beam using the new high power diode array laser system with large aperture beam optics, and a strained layer GaAsP photocathode from St. Petersburg. The results of these tests will be presented. The production run for SAMPLE‐III was then carried out with a bulk GaAs and the Ar‐Ti:Sapphire laser system. Since April of this year, the source has been delivering high polarization beams to the South Hall Ring for commissioning of the BLAST spectrometer. The stored current in the ring exceeds 100 mA. This is accomplished using the high power diode laser system and high‐gradient‐doped strained GaAsP photocathodes from Bandwidth Semiconductor Inc. tuned for 810 nm. The operational lifetime of the photocathode is excellent. A status report of the Bates polarized source and the operational experience of delivering high polarization beam to SHR will be presented. © 2003 American Institute of Physics