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

COLUMBUS, OH — The Red Cross urged people to donate blood as wildfires and record-breaking heat drive donations down. A projected busy hurricane season will likely shrink donations even further.

All types of blood donations are needed, but there is an especially large demand for Type O.

The plea for donations comes at a time when the country is experiencing high demand for blood transfusions. Hospitals are treating a high number of traumatic injuries this summer. Organ transplants and elective surgeries also increased the urgent need for blood products.

People who donate blood during August will receive a free four-month subscription to Apple Music (new subscribers only).

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.

• 8/16/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 8/16/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., McConnell Heart Health Center, 3773 Olentangy River Road (Columbus)
• 8/16/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 8/16/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 8/16/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 8/16/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dublin Community Church, 81 W. Bridge St. (Dublin)
• 8/16/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 8/17/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 8/17/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pickerington Church of the Nazarene, 11775 Pickerington Rd. NW (Pickerington)
• 8/17/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 8/17/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., First Alliance Church-Columbus, 3750 W. Henderson Rd (Columbus)
• 8/17/2021: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Indian Run United Methodist Church, 6305 Brand Road (Dublin)
• 8/17/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 8/17/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St John's Lutheran Church, 3220 Columbus Street (Grove City)
• 8/17/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Westerville Christian Church, 471 E College Avenue (Westerville)
• 8/17/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Worthington Education Association, 200 East Wilson Bridge Road (Worthington)
• 8/17/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Worthington Presbyterian Church, 773 High Street (Worthington)
• 8/18/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 8/18/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Canal Winchester Community Center, 22 South Trine Street (Canal Winchester)
• 8/18/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 8/18/2021: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Leo Yassenoff Jewish Center, 1125 College (Columbus)
• 8/18/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 8/18/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Life Community Church, 4400 Cemetery Rd. (Hilliard)
• 8/18/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital, 7277 Smiths Mill Road (New Albany)
• 8/18/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Heartland Bank, 430 N. Hamilton Road (Whitehall)
• 8/19/2021: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Polaris Blood Donation Center, 1327 Cameron Avenue, Oak Creek Building (Lewis Center)
• 8/19/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pickerington Church of the Nazarene, 11775 Pickerington Rd. NW (Pickerington)
• 8/19/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., One Columbus, 10 W. Broad Street, Suite 280 (Columbus)
• 8/19/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 995 E. Broad Street (Columbus)
• 8/19/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Riverside Methodist Hospital, 3555 Olentangy River Road, Parking-Green Garage Area (Columbus)
• 8/19/2021: 11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m., Carriage Place Blood Donation Center, 4820 Sawmill Road (Columbus)
• 8/19/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Westbelt Blood Donation Center, 4327 Equity Drive (Columbus)
• 8/19/2021: 7:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Stone Ridge Blood Donation Center, 337 Stoneridge Lane (Gahanna)
• 8/19/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 3005 Holt Road (Grove City)
• 8/19/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church, 1636 Graham Rd (Reynoldsburg)

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.

People who have received a coronavirus vaccine can donate blood so long as they are symptom-free, feeling well and can provide the vaccine manufacturer's name, according to the American Red Cross. There is no waiting period after getting a vaccine dose.

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.