WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS) — This Giving Tuesday, the American Red Cross is hoping you will make giving blood a holiday habit.
The nonprofit humanitarian organization says it needs thousands more donations per week to stave off what it calls an “often invisible emergency.”
The donation push comes just two months after the non-profit declared a national blood shortage.
The American Red Cross said that collecting blood during the holidays is challenging.
“Schools are closed, families are on vacation, people are attending functions and festive parties and not really thinking about going out to their local blood drive. But there are still patients in the hospital that need blood to survive,” said Ashley Henyan, spokesperson for American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage back in September, citing a busy travel season and back-to-back climate disasters.
While donations have increased since then, the non-profit explained it still needs to collect 10,000 more units per week to meet patients’ needs.
For those who may be ineligible to donate blood due to medical conditions, travel, or other restrictions, the American Red Cross said you can still give back by volunteering your time.
The American Red Cross added that the whole process for donating blood takes about 45 minutes to an hour from start to finish, including time for a post-donation snack.
If you’d like to give blood and platelets, you can make an appointment using the Red Cross Blood App or visit their website.