When you give blood, you can save up to three lives
When people think of the Red Cross, their first thought may be of blood drives. 
And rightly so -- the Red Cross provides nearly half of the nation’s blood supply.
The Union County chapter coordinates many blood drives each month because there is a constant need for blood supplies. Last year,
the chapter coordinated 139blood drives, which collected 5,413 units of blood. Each unit of blood can be separated and used for up to three individuals.
Blood is needed 24 hours a day, seven days a week for surgical patients, accident victims, cancer patients or children with blood disorders. But blood is a perishable resource with a “shelf life” of just 42 days.
The blood needs of our country can only be met by voluntary donation. Repeat donors can give blood every 56 days, and many donors contribute up to six times a year. At least 60 percent of the American population is eligible to donate blood, yet only 5 percent actually do.
General qualifications to donate blood
To donate blood, you must:
Regular donations are the keys to ensuring a ready supply of blood. After donation, it can take three days for a blood donation to be tested, processed and available for transfusion.
Nationwide, 38,000 blood donations are needed each day. When a disaster strikes, this need is even greater.
The American Red Cross has a national inventory system that allows blood to be moved when and where it’s needed. Blood service regions support each other and other collections agencies when inclement weather, disasters or other conditions impact their ability to collect and distribute blood.
Blood Drive Calendar
Reasons to donate blood
Donor Eligibility
