The American Red Cross has seen a shortfall of about 25,000 blood donations in the first two months of the summer, which makes it hard to keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood products. By making an appointment to give blood or platelets in August, donors can keep the national blood supply from falling to shortage levels.
Right now, the Red Cross especially needs type O negative, type O positive, type B negative and type A negative blood donors, as well as platelet donors. For those who don’t know their blood type, making a donation is an easy way to find out this important personal health information. The Red Cross will notify new donors of their blood type soon after they give.
The Red Cross needs donors now. Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
All who come to give throughout the month of August will get a $10 e-gift card to a movie merchant of their choice. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Movie.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Aug. 16-31 may be found by entering your zip-code at RedCrossBlood.org.
How to donate blood
To make an appointment, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Amplify your impact − volunteer!
A stable blood and platelet supply is critical to national preparedness. Additionally, as we approach the beginning of what is expected to be another active hurricane season, the Red Cross urges everyone to get ready now and consider becoming a volunteer to help people affected by the growing number of climate-driven disasters.
Support impacted communities by assisting at Red Cross shelters, using your professional skills as a licensed health care provider or becoming a member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team. To learn more, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports Veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org.
Topics in this story
More Stories
VA remains open for business and is closely monitoring the Change Healthcare (CHC) cybersecurity incident.
VA’s Veteran Buddy Check Week is planned for Oct. 21 – 25, 2024.
Carry The Load, an organization dedicated to remembering the fallen, will visit 34 VA National Cemeteries traveling 20,000 miles along five separate routes covering all continental 48 states known as the National Relay for Memorial May 2024.
Have a VA right here in town but the closest blood donation center is 85 miles away. Not practical.
Who are we donating to? A CEO that makes 550 k a year no one gets blood for free! Just goes through show they don’t want the truth out feeding ng off people’s hearts and caring how sad!
Who are we donating to? A CEO that makes 550 k a year no one gets blood for free!
I donated 8/12/2023 at Blood Bank of Hawaii.
Does this count?
Wish Red Cross had donor sites here in Hawaii.
Just dropped off (so to speak) my 36th pint this afternoon, after work. While my lifetime donation amount is considerably higher, that’s what I’ve donated since getting the Red Cross app.
If you’re looking for a nearby donation center, enter your zip code here, and click the button. Red Cross is well worth taking the time to donate your time or blood/platelets/plasma.
https://www.redcrossblood.org/local-homepage.html
this website is a waste of time and effort
wasted my time typing in important questions that were rejected as this VA website demands a personal website …. totally unrealistic and I am opting out of all future Blood Drives and VA solicitations as I ALSO attempted to enroll in the VA Million Veterans Program and THAT VA website also failed to accept input. Quit asking for comments when your IT folks cannot figure out we all do not have CAC IDs nor personal websites.
Philip, thank you for your comments. I do not believe you are required to enter a personal website in order to submit a comment. Most people do not. The reason that your comments did not immediately appear on this website is because every comment is reviewed by our team before it is made public. Usually this is to avoid SPAM comments which we get a lot of. However, sometimes this is to prevent people from posting their personal information on this public forum. Either way, I have approved all of your comments and you should be able to see them on the website now.
Sorry – I already typed in all the questions but this website demanded a WEBsite which I do not possess so it rejected my important question.
Perhaps you should delete the mandate for a website as it is unusual for individuals to have one dedicated and it nixed an important questions for MANY Veterans who were deployed, lived in Africa or England during the VCJD outbreak, and malarial long term side effects.
So … I guess I can attempt topmost this and then ignore VA News emails until you fix this nonsensical mandate of a personal website.
I resided in England for three years during the V-CJD outbreak PLUS I resided in/out of Africa for seven years and still have recurrent malaria periodically. I was told on active duty and from a current military Blood Program Officer that I should never donate blood. However, the Va had a blood drive and as I was departing from an osteomyelitis treatment – I was asked to donate by the VA rep. I explained my history and he stated “that is all waved now, you can certainly donate!”
That does not sound safe to me – what is the truth as I never want other recipients to become ill from my blood. Thank you.
My name is Ken Burton and I am the Adjutant of my American Legion Post #16, R.I. and the Patriotic Instructor/Chaplain for the VFW-AUX # 8955, R.I. Our Post also houses VFW, VFW Riders, DAV, and DAR members. What I need is information on how to schedule in house “Blood Drives”, and hopefully help the Red Cross and set forth a precedence for all our comrades to follow.
Why can’t the VA accept blood at any/all VA hospitals nationwide?
It would be convenient for many veterans contemplating giving blood. The only difficulty would be convincing a suit to allow it to happen. Keep It Simple Stupid!
Red Cross and VA need to work together with Red Cross providing a poster showing schedule of collection sites for the month and VA placing them in all waiting rooms.
Are there permanent donation sites?
Where can we donate?
Guys, go here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/local-homepage.html
and enter your zip code, then click “apply”. The Red Cross will give you a list of nearby donation centers.