Blood Drive Set For Lawrenceville Amid Emergency Shortage

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive in Lawrenceville amid an emergency blood shortage, the Red Cross announced.

The blood drive will take place on Thursday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fortis Institute, 2572 Brunswick Pike. The Red Cross is also offering a $5 Amazon gift card to all those who donate blood between July 29 and Aug. 29, 2019.

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. Anyone 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, according to the American Red Cross. 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, according to the American Red Cross.

With the help of a $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.

“We are grateful to Amazon for their support in addressing a ‘Right Now Need’ for blood donations,” Red Cross Blood Services Senior Vice President Cliff Numark said. “Each donation truly matters to those counting on blood products to battle illness and injury. Today, we are asking the public to donate as soon as possible to ensure blood is available on hospital shelves for those in need.”