Updated: July 05, 2017
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS FACING A CRITICAL BLOOD SHORTAGE AND IS ISSUING AN EMERGENCY CALL FOR ELIGIBLE BLOOD AND PLATELET DONORS OF ALL BLOOD TYPES TO GIVE AND HELP SAVE LIVES. BLOOD DONATIONS HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, RESULTING IN ABOUT 61,000 FEWER DONATIONS THAN NEEDED. THE SHORTFALL IS THE EQUIVALENT OF THE RED CROSS NOT COLLECTING ANY BLOOD DONATIONS FOR MORE THAN FOUR DAYS. BLOOD SHORTAGES OFTEN WORSEN AROUND THE SUMMER MONTHS DUE TO FEWER BLOOD DRIVES AND DONORS GOING ON VACATION. TO FIND A BLOOD DRIVE NEAR YOU, VISIT THE WEBSITE REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG OR CALL 1-800-RED-CROSS.