ST. LOUIS – The American Red Cross encourages individuals and organizations to give something that means something this winter by making a lifesaving blood donation or hosting a blood drive.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Blood donations often decline from now to New Year’s Day when holiday festivities pull people away from their donation appointments. Seasonal illnesses, such as colds and the flu, can also have a serious impact on blood donations
In addition, there are fewer blood drives during the winter months when many hosting organizations postpone drives while people are traveling for the holidays. Severe winter weather may also cause scheduled blood drives to be canceled.
Despite the busy holiday season and threat of extreme freezing weather, the need for blood remains steady. Organizations can help by hosting a blood drive during the winter months, and eligible donors are encouraged to make an appointment to give blood. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood.
Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more about hosting a blood drive. To make an appointment to donate blood, download the freeRed Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
Ill.
Bond
Greenville
12/4/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 310 S. 2nd St.
_______________
Clinton
Breese
12/1/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Dominic, 345 N. Clinton St.
Trenton
12/1/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 3324 Old Hwy 50
_______________
Coles
Charleston
12/1/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Eastern Illinois University Charleston Ballroom, 1720 7th St.
12/2/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Eastern Illinois University Charleston Lawson Hall, 2151 4th St.
Mattoon
12/8/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion Hall, 1903 Maple
_______________
Crawford
Oblong
12/15/2015: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Oblong High School, 700 S Range
Palestine
12/11/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Palestine Community Center, 216 S Main St.
Robinson
12/14/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Crawford Memorial Hospital, 1000 N Allen
_______________
Cumberland
Neoga
12/15/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 752 Walnut
Toledo
12/2/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Cumberland High School, Route 121
_______________
Effingham
Altamont
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Altamont Christian Church, 1351 S. Main
Effingham
12/10/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lake Land College, 1204 Network Centre Blvd.
_______________
Fayette
Saint Elmo
12/14/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Mary Church Hall, Route 40
_______________
Franklin
Benton
12/9/2015: 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Franklin Hospital, 201 Bailey Lane
West Frankfort
12/9/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Frankfort Intermediate School, 800 North Cherry
12/11/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Aquatics Center- Banquet Hall, 1100 E Cleveland St.
12/12/2015: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Aquatic Center - Banquet Hall, 1100 E Cleveland St.
_______________
Jasper
Newton
12/6/2015: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Holy Cross Church of Wendelin, 5782 Ingraham Lane
12/10/2015: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 707 Van Buren
_______________
Jefferson
Mount Vernon
12/3/2015: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Crossroads Community Hospital, 8 Doctors Park Road
12/10/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Rolland Lewis Community Building, S 27th St.
_______________
Macoupin
Staunton
12/11/2015: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Staunton Elementary School, 801 N. Deneen
_______________
Madison
Alhambra
12/14/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Alhambra Township, Fireman and Legion Park
Alton
12/1/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., CALC Institute of Technology, 200 North Center Drive, Suite A
12/2/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus 460, 405 East Fourth St.
12/12/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., YWCA, 304 E. 3rd St.
12/14/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Walgreens, 1650 Washington Ave.
Collinsville
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Collinsville Memorial Public Library, 408 West Main
12/15/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 1 Columbus Plaza
Edwardsville
12/1/2015: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Morris University Center, 30 Hairpin Dr.
12/1/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., LeClaire Christian Church, 1914 Esic Dr
12/2/2015: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 30 Hairpin Dr.
12/4/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Gori Julian & Associates, 156 North Main St.
12/8/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., The Bank of Edwardsville, 330 West Vandalia
Granite City
12/5/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rivers of Life Christian School & Rivers of Life Community Church, 3131 E. 23rd Street
Maryville
12/2/2015: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Ameren Illinois, 2600 N. Center St.
Troy
12/5/2015: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Friedens United Church of Christ, 207 W. Center
Worden
12/1/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Worden Fire Department, 127 W Wall St.
_______________
Marion
Centralia
12/8/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, 9545 Shattuc Road
Odin
12/9/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Odin Public School, 100 N Merritt St.
Patoka
12/2/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Patoka High School, 1220 Kinoka Road
Salem
12/3/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kaskaskia College-Salem Education Center, 1475 W. Whittaker
_______________
Monroe
Columbia
12/8/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Turner Hall, 211 East Cherry St.
Hecker
12/14/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Hecker Community Center, 230 East Washington St.
_______________
Randolph
Sparta
12/8/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., VFW Post 2698, 1911 North Market St.
Steeleville
12/1/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion Hall, 305 South Chester
_______________
Richland
Olney
12/14/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Richland Memorial Hospital, 800 E. Locust
_______________
Saint Clair
Belleville
12/4/2015: 12 p.m. - 3 p.m., Wal-Mart Belleville Il, 2608 Green Mount Commons Drive
Mascoutah
12/3/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Holy Childhood School, 104 North Independence
_______________
Shelby
Findlay
12/8/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion Hall, Findlay Road
_______________
Washington
Nashville
12/14/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 153 South Kaskaskia
_______________
Mo.
Crawford
Bourbon
12/14/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bourbon Community Center, 575 Elm St.
_______________
Franklin
Gerald
12/14/2015: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Calvary New Life Tabernacle Church, 140 West Industrial
Pacific
12/9/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Eureka Fire Training Center, 18765 Old Highway 66
Sullivan
12/1/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Matthew Lutheran Church, 528 N Church St.
12/7/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sullivan Community Center, 730 West Main
Union
12/4/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sunset Healthcare Center, 400 West Park
12/14/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 700 Clearview Drive
Washington
12/14/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Public Safety Building, 301 Jefferson
_______________
Jefferson
House Springs
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Our Lady Queen of Peace, 4696 Notre Dame Lane
Imperial
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Seckman Elementary School, 2824 Seckman Road
_______________
Saint Charles
Saint Charles
12/7/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Charles Elks Lodge, 560 St. Peters Howell Road
Saint Peters
12/11/2015: 7:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., St Charles Co Ambulance District, 4169 Old Mill Parkway
Wentzville
12/4/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Schnucks Wentzville, 1960 Wentzville Parkway
_______________
Saint Francois
Farmington
12/15/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Parkland Health Center, 1101 West Liberty
Park Hills
12/2/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., West County High School, 768 Highway M
_______________
Saint Louis
Ballwin
12/13/2015: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Community Christian Church, 623 Meramec Station Road
12/14/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., St Louis County Library - Daniel Boone Branch, 300 Clarkson Road
Clayton
12/8/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., St Louis County Library - Mid County, 7821 Maryland Ave.
Kirkwood
12/4/2015: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., North Kirkwood Middle School, 11287 Manchester
Manchester
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Louis County Library - Grand Glaize, 1010 Meramec Station Road
Normandy
12/13/2015: 8:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., St Ann Catholic Church, 7530 Natural Bridge Road
Saint Louis
12/2/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Christian Hospital Northeast, 11133 Dunn Road
12/7/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Harley Davidson Gateway, 3600 Lemay Ferry Road
12/7/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Lucas UCC, 11735 Denny Road
12/7/2015: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Mary Queen of Peace, 676 Lockwood Ave.
12/10/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., AT&T Des Peres, 12851 Manchester Road
12/14/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cantor and Burger, 12283 Olive Blvd.
12/14/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Louis County Library - Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowyck Drive
12/15/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., St Louis Area Chapter American Red Cross, 10195 Corporate Square
_______________
Saint Louis City
12/2/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bank of America Plaza, 800 Market St
12/3/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., US Bank Plaza & Cushman & Wakefield, 1 US Bank Plaza
12/6/2015: 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., New Northside Family Life Center, 5939 Goodfellow Blvd
12/10/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ansira, 2300 Locust St.
12/12/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Omega Center, 3900 Goodfellow
12/13/2015: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Stephen Protomartyr, 3949 Wilmington
_______________
Sainte Genevieve
Sainte Genevieve
12/3/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Ste Genevieve High School, 715 Washington
12/3/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sainte Genevieve County Memorial Hospital, 800 Ste Genevieve Drive
_______________
Warren
Marthasville
12/1/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Marthasville Community Club, 601 S. One St.
Warrenton
12/8/2015: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m., Holy Rosary School, 716 E. Booneslick Road
_______________
Washington
Potosi
12/3/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Potosi High School, 1 Trojan Drive
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. 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 (16 with parental consent in some states), 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.
Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started, visitredcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
More like this:
Related Video: