COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (July 29, 2019) — To help address the current emergency blood shortage, all who come to give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross July 29 through Aug. 29 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. 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. Individuals 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). 

With the help of a generous $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.

The Red Cross urges individuals across the country to roll up a sleeve today to ensure blood is available for patients across the country. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes. Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

Some area upcoming blood donation opportunities July 29-Aug. 15:

Adair County: Greenfield, 8/14/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Methodist Church, 108  SW 5th Street

Adams County: Corning, 8/8/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Community Center, 601 6th Street

Audubon County: Audubon, 8/7/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 2050 Hwy 71 N

Cass County: Anita, 8/7/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Community Center, 805 Main Street; Atlantic: 7/31/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital, 1501 E. 10th Street; 8/2/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Walmart Supercenter, 1905 E. 7th Street

Montgomery County: Stanton, 8/11/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Viking Center, 501 Elliot

Page County: Clarinda, 8/2/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Lied Center, 1140 E Main

Pottawattamie County: Council Bluffs, 8/9/2019: 6 a.m. – 12 p.m., Ameristar, 2200 River Road, and from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ameristar, 2200 River Road; Crescent, 8/10/2019: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Fire Station, 102 West Florence.

Shelby County: 8/3/2019: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Shelby Community Building, 500 East Street; Elk Horn, 7/30/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street; Harlan, 8/13/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., CDS, 3107 Shelby Street; Irwin, 7/31/2019: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Irwin Community Building, 504  Ann Street.

Union County: Creston, 8/6/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Homestead of Creston, 1709 W. Prairie St