Severe blood shortage: Red Cross blood supply drops 35%
Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/20/2026 - 02/28/2026
12:00 am
Categories
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jayce Eustice | Regional Communications Manager
Cell: (309) 215-7146 | (312) 907-0520 (24/7 Media Line)
jayce.eustice@redcross.org
Severe blood shortage: Red Cross blood supply drops 35%
Donors urged to make an appointment to give blood and platelets amid growing flu, winter weather impact
Jan. 20, 2026 — The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals
exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past
month. Individuals are urged to give now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. The shortage is
especially serious for platelets and types O, A negative and B negative blood.
High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national
blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are
now also forced to triage critical blood products. Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions —
including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk.
There’s no time to wait — book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor
App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
As a thank-you to donors for helping tackle the blood shortage, those who come to give through Jan. 25, 2026,
will be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The winner and guest will receive two tickets to Super Bowl LX, access to day-of, in-stadium pregame activities,
tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 6-9,
2026), plus a $1,000 gift card for expenses. See RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl for details.
All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See
RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.
Weather disrupts vital donations
About 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times
the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood
donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much
of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when
every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive blood
transfusions and who will need to wait.
“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it
even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great
time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be
a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 20-Feb. 3:
Cass
Beardstown
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Saint Johns Lutheran Church, 214 E 6th St
_______________
Champaign
Urbana
1/23/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Illini Union, 1401 W Green St
1/29/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., University of Illinois Illini Union, 1401 West Green Street
_______________
Clinton
Breese
1/21/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 480 North Walnut
Carlyle
2/3/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Carlyle High School, 1461 12th Street
_______________
Coles
Charleston
1/29/2026: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church – Charleston, 921 Madison
Mattoon
1/27/2026: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Lake Land College, 5001 Lake Land Blvd
_______________
Crawford
Palestine
1/21/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Palestine High School, 102 North Main Street
Robinson
1/26/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Nuttall Middle School, 400 West Rustic Street
_______________
Dewitt
Clinton
1/30/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Clinton Jr High School, 701 Illini Dr
Farmer City
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Blue Ridge High School, 411 North John
_______________
Douglas
Arthur
1/20/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Four Acre, 553 North County Road 240 East
Atwood
1/22/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., United Church of Atwood, 210 North Main Street
_______________
Edgar
Chrisman
2/2/2026: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Chrisman Church of the Nazarene, 313 North Pennsylvania
Paris
1/26/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., VFW, 601 W Court Street
_______________
Effingham
Effingham Red Cross Blood Donation Center
603 Eden Avenue, Effingham, IL 62401
Sun Closed
Mon Closed
Tue 11:30AM – 7:30PM
Wed 11:30AM – 7:30PM
Thu 11:30AM – 7:30PM
Fri Closed
Sat 7AM – 3PM
Effingham
1/23/2026: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Cornerstone Church, 3600 S. Banker St.
_______________
Fayette
Brownstown
1/26/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Brownstown Elementary School, 460 W South St
Ramsey
1/23/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ramsey Grade School, 702 West 6th Street
Shobonier
1/20/2026: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Dutch Prairie Community, 983 N 1300th St
_______________
Franklin
Benton
1/29/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., St. Joseph Catholic Church, 506 West Main
West Frankfort
1/22/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., St Paul Lutheran Church, 1 West Frankfort Plaza
_______________
Hamilton
Mc Leansboro
1/22/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Laborers Local 1197, 109 West Market Street
_______________
Jasper
Newton
1/26/2026: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Holy Cross Church of Wendelin, 5782 Ingraham Lane
_______________
Jefferson
Mount Vernon
1/22/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Central Christian Church, 314 North 12th Street
_______________
Macon
Argenta
1/28/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Argenta Oreana High School, 500 North Main Street
2/3/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., The Bridge Fellowship, 520 West Elm
Decatur
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Decatur Blood Donation Center, 2674 N. Main St
1/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Decatur Blood Donation Center, 2674 N. Main St
2/3/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Decatur Blood Donation Center, 2674 N. Main St
Mount Zion
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, 400 North Whitetail Circle
_______________
Macoupin
Staunton
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Community Hospital of Staunton, 400 Caldwell
_______________
Marion
Centralia
1/28/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Centralia American Legion Hall, 117 South Poplar, Hwy 51
Salem
2/2/2026: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., St Theresa of Avila Catholic Church Parish Center, 812 West Main
_______________
Montgomery
Litchfield
2/3/2026: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Litchfield Moose Lodge, 221 North Madison
_______________
Morgan
Jacksonville
1/26/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Jacksonville First Christian Church, 2106 S Main St,
_______________
Perry
Du Quoin
1/28/2026: 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Du Quoin High School, 500 East South Street
Pinckneyville
1/22/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., United Methodist Church, 315 West South Street
_______________
Sangamon
Springfield
1/23/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., IBEW Local 51, 3171 Greenhead Dr
1/28/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Visions 1908, 801 S 11th St
_______________
Washington
Nashville
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Washington County Hospital-Nashville, 705 South Grand
2/2/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., American Legion, 533 East Legion Drive
_______________
Williamson
Carterville
1/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., SIH Cancer Center, 1400 Pin Oak Drive
1/30/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Tri-C Elementary School, 120 N Greenbriar Rd
Marion
1/21/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Marion High School HEC, 1700 Wildcat Rd
1/30/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., The HUB, 917 West Main
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the
nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans,
military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and
the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or
CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.