COLUMBIA, S.C. — After a summer of decreased donor turnout, the American Red Cross is experiencing a national blood shortage and making an urgent plea for donors.
Red Cross says fewer donors than needed gave this summer, drawing down the national blood supply and reducing distributions of some of the most needed blood products in recent weeks.
Hurricane Idalia further strained the blood supply with blood drive cancellations and reduced blood and platelet donations in affected areas.
Donors of all blood types are urgently needed, and there is an emergency need for platelet donors and type O blood donors to make an appointment to give now to ensure patients across the country continue to receive critical medical care.
All who give blood from Sept. 1-18 will receive a limited-edition Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Those who come to give throughout September will also receive a coupon for a free Sport Clips haircut by email. Plus, they’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a VIP NASCAR racing experience.
To schedule an appointment to give, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiti RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Here are some local blood drives by location that you can take advantage of in the coming weeks.
Denmark
- 9/28/2023: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Leonard Dawson Center Voorhees University, 5573 Voorhees Road
Winnsboro
- 9/18/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Winnsboro, 109 College Street
Camden
- 9/19/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Kershaw County School District Office, 2029 W. DeKalb Street
- 9/21/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church, 1206 Lyttleton Street
Batesburg-Leesville
- 9/19/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Circle Fire Department, 9251 Columbia Hwy
Cayce
- 9/12/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center, 1120 Fort Congaree Trail
- 9/24/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Broadacres Baptist Church, 2350 Taylor Rd.
Chapin
- 9/14/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Coldwell Banker Chapin, 539 Columbia Ave
Columbia
- 9/29/2023: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Prisma Health Parkridge, 400 Parkridge Drive
Gilbert
- 9/25/2023: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Gilbert First Baptist Church, 441 Lewie Street
Leesville
- 9/14/2023: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Leesville United Methodist Church, 510 E. Columbia Ave.
Lexington
- 9/13/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Town of Lexington, 111 Maiden Lane
- 9/18/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lexington Main Library, 5440 Augusta Rd
- 9/25/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Red Bank Baptist Church, 1357 South Lake Drive
- 9/28/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lexington Medical Center Lexington, 811 West Main St.
- 9/28/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., St. Peter's Parrish Life Center, 1130 St. Peter's Road
West Columbia
- 9/18/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Health Sciences Building, 1260 Lexington Dr.
- 9/19/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Airport High School, 1315 Boston Ave.
Orangeburg
- 9/12/2023: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Orangeburg County YMCA, 2550 St Matthews Rd NE
- 9/14/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., South Carolina State University, 300 College Street NE
Columbia
- 9/12/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., AllSouth FCU - Elmwood, 730 Elmwood Ave
- 9/12/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/13/2023: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Prisma Health Richland Medical Center, 5 Richland Medical Park, North Portal
- 9/13/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/13/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Prisma Health Richland Medical Center, 5 Richland Medical Park, North Portal
- 9/14/2023: 9:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/15/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/16/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/17/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/18/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/19/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/20/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield, 2401 Faraway Drive
- 9/20/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/20/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., First Presbyterian Church Columbia, 1400 Lady Street
- 9/21/2023: 9:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/21/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Breed Leadership Center, 1301 Columbia College Drive
- 9/21/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., The Brook, 8328 Parklane Rd
- 9/22/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/22/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., American Red Cross, 2751 Bull St
- 9/22/2023: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Wesley Church, 1725 Gervais Street
- 9/23/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/24/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/25/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/26/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Benedict College, 1600 Harden Street
- 9/26/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/27/2023: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Richland County, 2020 Hampton Street
- 9/27/2023: 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/27/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Columbia Family Chiropractic, 224 Oneil Ct, #21
- 9/28/2023: 9:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/28/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Allen University/ Coppin Hall, 1530 Harden Street
- 9/29/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
- 9/29/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Crayton Middle School, 5000 Clemson Road
- 9/30/2023: 6:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
Irmo
- 9/12/2023: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Salem United Methodist Church, 1321 Salem Church Road
- 9/13/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., River Springs Church, 1007 West Shady Grove Rd.
- 9/25/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., New Hope Lutheran Church, 1725 Old Tamah Rd.
- 9/26/2023: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., YMCA/Prisma Ballentine, 1079 Dutch Fork Road
Sumter
- 9/21/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Grace Baptist Church, 219 West Calhoun St.
- 9/21/2023: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 211 Alice Drive
- 9/29/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., 28TH OWS SHAW AFB, 428 Shaw Drive