NEW JERSEY — The American Red Cross is urging New Jersey residents to give blood or platelets in the coming weeks, saying the busy holiday season makes it harder for many regular donors to keep appointments.
Donors of all blood types are needed, the organization said Monday, with a particular call for people with type O blood.
To encourage donations around Thanksgiving, the Red Cross is partnering with the game show “Wheel of Fortune.” Everyone who comes to give blood or platelets between Nov. 23 and Dec. 6 will receive an exclusive oversized Red Cross x “Wheel of Fortune” mug while supplies last, the Red Cross said. Those donors will also be automatically entered for a chance to win a three-night trip for two to Los Angeles that includes entry to a taping of the show.
Through November, which is National Diabetes Awareness Month, donors who give successfully will also receive free A1C testing, limited to one result per calendar year, according to the Red Cross. Donors should not fast before giving.
The Red Cross listed dozens of blood drives across New Jersey from Nov. 16 through Dec. 6, at locations ranging from churches, libraries and fire companies to schools, hospitals and a Newark Liberty International Airport terminal. The organization also operates permanent donation centers in Fairfield, Princeton, Tinton Falls, Pennsauken and Delran.
Appointments can be made through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Donors must bring a blood donor card, a driver’s license or two other forms of identification. In most states, people who are 17 or older — or 16 with parental consent where state law allows — weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate, the Red Cross said. Donors 18 and younger must also meet certain height and weight requirements.
The organization said donors can save time by completing their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online on the day of their donation using its RapidPass system.
The Red Cross says it supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood.
This report is based on a press release from the American Red Cross.
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