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

DALLAS, TX — The Red Cross and other blood donation organizations are working to bolster the country's blood supply as the pandemic wanes.

Those who give blood, platelets or plasma through the Red Cross in May will be entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. The Red Cross will also give donors a T-shirt between May 28 and June 13 while supplies last.

Actor James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly, are urging people to donate blood this summer. Kimberly Van Der Beek needed blood transfusions in the past year after she experienced back-to-back pregnancy losses.

"Donating blood is something that I’ve always done throughout my life,” James Van Der Beek said. “It seemed important. But I never knew how important until the woman I love most was in a situation where that much blood made the difference between life and death. It just brought it home in a very real way.”

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

• 5/20/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Hope Center, 2001 W. Plano Parkway (Plano)
• 5/20/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm St (Dallas)
• 5/20/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Element Hotel North DFW/Irving, 3550 Highway 635 (Irving)
• 5/20/2021: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Lowe's Fort Worth, 4305 Bryant Irvin Road (Fort Worth)
• 5/20/2021: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Medical City Alliance, 3101 N. Tarrant Parkway (Fort Worth)
• 5/21/2021: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Baylor Scott and White The Heart Hospital Plano, 1100 Allied Drive (Plano)
• 5/21/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fort Worth, 500 W. Bonds Ranch Road (Fort Worth)
• 5/21/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Grapevine, 1650 West College Street (Grapevine)
• 5/22/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Wylie, 400 N, Sanden Blvd (Wylie)
• 5/22/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Glen Oaks United Methodist Church, 4606 S Polk St (Dallas)
• 5/23/2021: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott Dallas Carrollton and Carrollton Convention Center, 1201 Raiford Road (Carrollton)
• 5/23/2021: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Bass Pro Shop Grapevine, 2501 Bass Pro Drive (Grapevine)
• 5/24/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., American Red Cross Dallas Chapter, 2055 Kendall Dr. (Dallas)
• 5/24/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 14740 Meandering Way (Dallas)
• 5/24/2021: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Emmett J. Conrad High School, 7502 Fair Oaks Ave. (Dallas)
• 5/24/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Lowe's Rockwall, 851 N. Steger Town Dr (Rockwall)
• 5/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Gateway Community Church, 2201 Country Club Rd (Wylie)
• 5/25/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rejoice Lutheran Church, 532 E Sandy Lake Road (Coppell)
• 5/25/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Grace Community Church Keller, 3789 Thompson Rd. (Keller)
• 5/26/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Road (Plano)
• 5/26/2021: 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Coppell ER, 720 N. Denton Tap Rd. (Coppell)
• 5/26/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Dallas Museum Of Art, 1717 N. Harwood Street (Dallas)
• 5/26/2021: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving, 1901 N MacArthur Blvd (Irving)
• 5/27/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Children's Health StarCenter, 12700 N Stemmons Fwy (Dallas)
• 5/27/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., AT&T Performing Arts Center, 2403 Flora St (Dallas)
• 5/28/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Lowe's Rockwall, 851 N. Steger Town Dr (Rockwall)
• 5/29/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., St Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Dr, (Mesquite)
• 5/29/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., AJ's on Main First Responders Drive, 701 S. Main St. (Grapevine)
• 5/30/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Grand Prairie, 2050 N Highway 360 (Grand Prairie)
• 6/2/2021: 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Energy Transfer, 8020 Park Lane (Dallas)
• 6/2/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Haynie & Company, 12222 Merit Dr # 1900 (Dallas)
• 6/2/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Speedway Children's Charities, 3575 Lone Star Circle (Fort Worth)
• 6/2/2021: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Medical City Fort Worth, 900 8th Ave (Fort Worth)
• 6/3/2021: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., East Lake Event Center, 8630 Thurgood Lane (Dallas)
• 6/3/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Shady Valley Country Club, 4001 W Park Row Drive (Arlington)

Click here to see more Red Cross blood drives in the Dallas 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.

All blood types are needed, especially type O, to refuel the country’s blood stockpile for the spring and summer.

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.

People who donate blood, platelets or plasma in May through the Red Cross will be automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. Anyone who donates through May 15 will receive a $5 Amazon gift card by email courtesy of Suburban Propane.

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.