Emergency blood shortage: $5 Amazon Gift Card for those who help

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Posted 8/2/19

To help address the current emergency blood shortage, all who come to give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross now through Aug. 29 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. …

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Emergency blood shortage: $5 Amazon Gift Card for those who help

Posted

To help address the current emergency blood shortage, all who come to give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross now through Aug. 29 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types available and less than a two-day supply of type O blood.

Individuals can schedule an appointment to give now by activating Amazon’s Alexa Red Cross Blood Skill by saying, “Alexa, find a blood drive,” or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

When an emergency arises, it is the blood already on the shelves that saves lives. Only through the generosity of blood donors can the Red Cross provide hospitals with lifesaving blood to meet the ongoing and often, unpredictable needs of patients. The need for blood is constant. In the United States every two seconds blood is needed to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

Amazon donation is helping save patient lives

With the help of a generous $1 million donation from Amazon, the Red Cross hopes to motivate donors to roll up a sleeve and alleviate the blood shortage across the country. Amazon’s partnership with the Red Cross is part of their commitment to “Right Now Needs” to help increase blood donations to ensure patient needs are met.

Blood transfusion is one of the most common inpatient hospital procedures in the U.S., and these blood products can only come from volunteer donors. Yet, only 3 out of 100 people in the U.S. give blood.

The Red Cross urges individuals across the country to roll up a sleeve today to ensure blood is available for patients across the country. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes.

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that 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 must meet certain height and weight requirements.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Robertsdale

8/4/: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., St. Patrick Catholic Church, 23035 Highway 59 South

Foley

8/6/: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Foley Civic Center, 407 East Laurel Avenue

Daphne

8/7/: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Christ The King Catholic Church, Christ The King Catholic Church, 1601 Main Street

Gulf Shores

8/7/: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Bebos Gulf Shores, 260 Clubhouse Drive

Foley

8/8: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Walmart Foley, 2200 S McKenzie St

Gulf Shores

8/12: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Cobb Theater, 3780 Gulf Shores Parkway

Bay Minette

8/13: 2p.m. - 7 p.m., John F. Rhodes Civic Center, 301 D'Olive

Daphne

8/14: 4 p.m. - 9 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Daphne, 28721 CR 13

8/16: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lowe's, 29645 Fredrick Blvd

Orange Beach

8/23: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Harriet Crockrell Center, 31692 Dolphin Drive

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% 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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.