Red Cross Urges Blood Donations to Fight Fall Supply Drop

FRANCE-HEALTH-BLOOD DONATION-ILLUSTRATION — Source: NICOLAS GUYONNET / Getty

INDIANA — The American Red Cross is urging Indiana residents to schedule a blood donation now to help ensure a strong and consistent blood supply for patients in need.

As busy fall schedules and upcoming school breaks reduce donor turnout, the Red Cross is stressing that the need for blood remains constant—even if emergencies aren’t making headlines.

Blood has a short shelf life and must be collected regularly from volunteer donors. The Red Cross typically sees a drop in donations as people settle into their autumn routines and begin making holiday plans. Furthermore, the persistent threat of hurricanes this month highlights the potential for collection disruptions, which can have immediate and serious consequences for those seeking medical care, including trauma victims, cancer patients, and others undergoing surgery.

You can prepare now and help save a life this fall by making an appointment to donate blood, platelets, or plasma.

To Schedule Your Donation:
Visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App. The Red Cross is also offering special donor incentives until October 19: All who come to donate will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. From October 20–November 16 donors will receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice and be automatically entered for a chance to win one of three $5,000 gift cards.

Upcoming Indiana Blood Donation Opportunities (October 16–31)
To find a donation center near you, check out the following locations:

Bartholomew County
Columbus: 10/21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., The Commons | 10/23, 1 p.m.–5:30 p.m., District 6 Event Space

Boone County
Whitestown: 10/25, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Hussey-Mayfield Library-Whitestown Branch

Delaware County
Muncie: 10/21, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital | 10/22, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., YMCA of Muncie | 10/29, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Freedom Point Apostolic Church

Hamilton County
Fishers: 10/16, 1 p.m.–6 p.m., IU Health Fishers | 10/28, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun King Brewing

Sheridan: 10/21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Majestic Care of Sheridan

Westfield: 10/30, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Ascension St. Vincent YMCA

Hancock County
Greenfield: 10/20, 12 p.m.–5 p.m., Hancock County Fairgrounds

Hendricks County
Avon: 10/24, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., IU Health West Hospital

Brownsburg: 10/27, 1 p.m.–6 p.m., Church At Main | 10/30, 12 p.m.–6 p.m., Arbuckle Acres-Bundy Lodge

Henry County
Middletown: 10/28, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Shenandoah High School

Jennings County
North Vernon: 10/20, 12 p.m.–5 p.m., Senior Citizens Center

Johnson County
Franklin: 10/20, 2 p.m.–6 p.m., Johnson County Public Library

Lawrence County
Bedford: 10/16, 2 p.m.–7 p.m., Knights of Columbus

Mitchell: 10/20, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., First Baptist Church – Mitchell

Madison County
Anderson: 10/17, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Hoosier Park | 10/31, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., Ivy Tech Community College

Lapel: 10/23, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Ford Street United Methodist Church

Marion County
Beech Grove: 10/24, 1 p.m.–6 p.m., Hornet Park Community Center

Indianapolis: 10/16, 1 p.m.–7 p.m., Indiana State Fairgrounds | 10/19, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Arthur R. Baxter YMCA | 10/22, 1 p.m.–6 p.m., Jordan YMCA | 10/23, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., American Red Cross & Riley Hospital | 10/30, 1 p.m.–5 p.m., Riviera Club | 10/31, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., IU Health Methodist Hospital

Monroe County
Bloomington: 10/18, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Grace Baptist Church | 10/22, 2 p.m.–7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church | 10/23, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., City of Bloomington Showers Business Plaza | 10/29 & 10/30, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Indiana Memorial Union | 10/31, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., City of Bloomington Showers Business Plaza

Putnam County
Greencastle: 10/22, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Putnam County Public Library

Shelby County
Shelbyville: 10/26, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., American Legion Post 70

Donor Information
All blood types are needed. Donors must be at least 17 years old in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed), weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in generally good health.

Donors can save time by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online on the day of their donation by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or using the Blood Donor App.

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