Where To Donate Blood In March - After All, It Is 'Red Cross Month'

News from the American Red Cross:

ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES - During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood.

Since 1943, every U.S. president has designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world.

Red Cross Month is a celebration of the everyday heroes, like Karla Essmiller, who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities. Essmiller began donating blood and even coordinated a few blood drives when she was in college. “Donating blood is a simple gift that I can make that may help up to three people live another day,” she said. “That makes me feel like a hero!”

The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals nationwide. Donors of all blood types are needed to help accident and burn victims, patients undergoing organ transplants, those receiving cancer treatments and others who rely on blood products.

Make an appointment to become a hero to patients in need by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Alameda County:

Alameda

March 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Abbott Diabetes Care, 1420 S. Loop Road

March 8 from noon to 6 p.m. at Alameda City Library, 1550 Oak St.

Albany

March 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave.

Livermore

March 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at California Water Service, 195 S. N St.

March 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at City of Livermore, 1052 S. Livermore Ave.

March 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Vineyard Village Senior Community, 3700 Pacific Ave.

Newark

March 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fremont - Newark Blood Donation Center, 39227 Cedar Blvd.

March 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fremont - Newark Blood Donation Center, 39227 Cedar Blvd.

March 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fremont - Newark Blood Donation Center, 39227 Cedar Blvd.

March 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fremont - Newark Blood Donation Center, 39227 Cedar Blvd.

Oakland

March 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Highland Partners, 342 Highland Ave.

March 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oakland State Building, 1515 Clay St.

March 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Blood Donation Center, 6230 Claremont Ave.

Pleasanton

March 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave.

San Leandro

March 7 from noon to 6 p.m. at San Leandro Public Library, 300 Estudillo Ave.

March 11 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Barbara Lee Center for Health and Wellness, 2251 Bancroft Ave.

March 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Peterson Cat, 2700 Teagarden St.

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Contra Costa County

Antioch

March 3 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Eastside Church of Christ Fellowship Hall, 1020 E. Tregallas Road

Concord

March 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at California State University, East Bay Concord, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road

Moraga

March 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Mary’s College, 1928 St. Mary’s Road

Pleasant Hill

March 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Blood Donation Center, 140 Gregory Lane

Walnut Creek

March 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walnut Creek Medical Group, 2621 Shadelands Drive

March 4 from 2:30 to 7 p.m. at Centennial Recreation Center, 171 W. Edmundson Ave.

March 15 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Latter-day Saints Morgan Hill, 1790 E. Dunne Ave.

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 and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site. For more information, please visit redcross.org.

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