Red Cross: Peninsula Blood Donors 'Urgently Needed'; Drive Planned in Redwood City

American Red Cross officials are asking San Mateo County residents to step up and help the agency fill an urgent need to restock its shelves.

“Though freezing temperatures, icy roads and mounting snow haven’t impacted us locally, there is one thing that it has affected across the country – the blood supply,” said Spokeswoman Sara O’Brien in a news release.

O’Brien says that some 200 American Red Cross blood drives have been cancelled due to storms in March alone-- which resulted in nearly 7,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations.

“This shortfall follows more than 26,400 uncollected blood and platelet donations in February due to severe weather across 27 states,” she said.

Here are the upcoming blood donation opportunities in San Mateo County:

• 3/18/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Congregation Beth Jacob, 1550 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Redwood City
• 3/19/2015: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Notre Dame High School Belmont, 1540 Ralston Ave., Belmont
• 3/20/2015: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Ritz Carlton, One Miramontes Point Rd., Half Moon Bay

(Image courtesy: American Red Cross)