The American Red Cross is continuing to find ways to incentivize Mississippians to donate blood amid a critical shortage.
The nonprofit will give out $15 e-gift cards for any merchant of choice to those who donate before Sept. 30. Additionally, the Red Cross announced this week that beginning Oct. 1, all donors will receive a $10 Amazon gift card plus be automatically entered for a chance to win one of three $5,000 gift cards.
“The American Red Cross continues to amplify the ongoing critical need for blood to keep the blood supply stable as fall begins,” a release stated. “Donors of all blood types, especially those with type O blood, those giving platelets, and those who have never given before, are needed now.”
The release continued, noting that only 3 out of every 100 Americans donate blood. With shelves beginning to run dry, the Red Cross asserts that every donation “is key to making sure all patients relying on lifesaving transfusions, including car accident victims and those living with sickle cell disease, get the care they need.”
Blood drives over the next month are scheduled in Hattiesburg, Diamondhead, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian, Gautier, Moss Point, and Ocean Springs. A full schedule of upcoming Red Cross drives can be found here. For those who cannot make a drive, appointments can always be made at Red Cross locations in Jackson, Gulfport, and Tupelo.
