CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The American Red Cross is offering some cool incentives for anyone donating blood or plasma during the month of November thanks to Amazon.

 

What You Need To Know

  • If you donate anytime Nov. 1-12 you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii
  • Anyone donating Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com gift card
  • If you would like to donate, the Red Cross urges you to schedule an appointment via the Red Cross Blood Donor app, website or calling 1-800-RedCross

 

Anyone who donates Nov. 1-12 will be entered to win a trip for two to Hawaii, courtesy Amazon Prime Video, which includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations for nine nights, meals, a $1,000 gift card for expenses and on-trip transportation with tour stops from Honolulu to Maui.

Additionally, all donors from Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com gift card by email.

The incentives are aimed at boosting donations during a time when the Red Cross says it is experiencing an emergency blood and platelet shortage that has current supply levels at the lowest point for this time of year in more than a decade.

According to a release, “At least 10,000 more donations are needed each week in the coming weeks to meet patient needs – ahead of the upcoming holiday season, which always presents seasonal challenges to blood collection.”

Anyone wishing to donate is asked to schedule an appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RedCross (1-800-733-2767).

The Red Cross has also provided the following information to help with planning your donation visit:

Blood drive safety  

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.  

Save time during donation  

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. 

Health insights for donors  

At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease who require trait-negative blood. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.    

Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.   

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