Blood Donations Needed In Columbus Area: Red Cross Drives Coming Up Soon

COLUMBUS, OH — The U.S. faces a critical blood supply shortage, and the Red Cross urges people of all blood types to donate.

People who donate blood, platelets or plasma during October will receive an offer for a free Zaxby's signature sandwich. Donors who don't live near a Zaxby's can receive a $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice.

The Red Cross is aiming to increase the number of Black blood donors in order to help patients with sickle cell anemia. The majority of the 100,000 people in the U.S. with the disease are Black. More than half of Black blood donors have blood that serves as the best match for blood transfusions.

Here are the Red Cross blood drives coming up in the Columbus area in the next few weeks. You can search for additional Red Cross blood drives from a wider area here.

• 10/1/2021: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Orange Township Hall, 1680 E. Orange Road (Lewis Center)
• 10/1/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 10/1/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., German Village Society, 588 S 3rd St (Columbus)
• 10/1/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Westbelt Donor Center, 4327 Equity Dr (Columbus)
• 10/1/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dublin Community Church, 81 W. Bridge St. (Dublin)
• 10/1/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 10/1/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Jackson Township Administration Office, 3756 Hoover Rd (Grove City)
• 10/1/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital, 7277 Smiths Mill Road (New Albany)
• 10/2/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 10/2/2021: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Violet Baptist Church, 8345 Blacklick Eastern Road (Pickerington)
• 10/2/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 10/2/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 10/2/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Mt Olivet Baptist Church@American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad St (Columbus)
• 10/2/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 10/2/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., New Albany High School, 6600 E Dublin Granville Rd (New Albany)
• 10/3/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 10/3/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 10/3/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 10/3/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 10/3/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., New Life Church, 3690 N. Stygler Road (Gahanna)
• 10/3/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Columbia Heights United Methodist Church, 775 Galloway Road (Galloway)
• 10/4/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 10/4/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 10/4/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 10/4/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., The Church Next Door, 5755 Feder Rd. (Columbus)
• 10/4/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2070 Ridgecilff Rd (Columbus)
• 10/4/2021: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., The Barn, 5451 Edwards Farm Rd. (Columbus)
• 10/4/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dublin Community Church, 81 W. Bridge St. (Dublin)
• 10/4/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 10/5/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 10/5/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 10/5/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Westbelt Donor Center, 4327 Equity Dr (Columbus)
• 10/5/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 10/5/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., St. Catharine Church, 470 S. Gould Rd. (Columbus)
• 10/5/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)

Click here to see more Red Cross blood drives in the Columbus area, or search for others nearby.

Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by the American Red Cross. The local blood drives included in the list are limited to those at the time the Red Cross data was pulled. Please visit RedCrossBlood.org for the most current listing of drives. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com. Know of another blood drive coming up in your area? You can add it to the Patch calendar using this form.

In most states, donors need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health; some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Donors 18 years old and younger need to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. Appointments can be made via the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, online or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.