Red Cross In Critical Need Of Blood, Especially O-Type; Find Donation Locations Here

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CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The American Red Cross is sounding the alarm for blood donations in the midst of what local officials are calling a "critical shortage."

Joy Squier with the Chicago and Northern Illinois Red Cross said the organization is in serious need of donations.

"With the flu season here and winter weather threatening blood drives, the Red Cross is really having a critical shortage of all blood types," she said. "Particularly, we are in need of type-O blood," which only seven-percent of U.S. residents have.

There is a less than three-day supply of the blood, and if they don’t get donations soon patients may be impacted.

Another concerning percentage? Squier said only three-percent of the population regularly donates blood, but she said it's easy to flip the local script.

"There are blood drives in about every county in the Chicago and Northern Illinois area. The best way to find them is to go to redcrossblood.org."

Donors of all blood types, especially types O positive and O negative, are urged to make an appointment to give blood now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Arlington Heights
  • 2/13/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Northwest Community Hospital, 800 W. Central Rd

Aurora

  • 2/13/2020: 2 – 6 p.m., Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road

Bourbonnais

  • 1/24/2020: 2 – 7 p.m., Bourbonnais Fire Department, 1080 Armour Rd.

Bradley

  • 1/23/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Bradley Village Hall, 147 S. Michigan
  • 1/30/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Bradley Village Hall, 147 S. Michigan
  • 2/6/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Bradley Village Hall, 147 S. Michigan
  • 2/13/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Bradley Village Hall, 147 S. Michigan
  • 2/20/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Bradley Village Hall, 147 S. Michigan

Chicago

  • 1/19/2020: 12 – 5 p.m., Second Unitarian Church, 656 W Barry
  • 1/20/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 121 West Wacker Dr., 121 West Wacker Dr.
  • 1/22/2020: 2 – 7 p.m., DePaul University Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, 2235 N. Sheffield
  • 1/23/2020: 2 – 7 p.m., DePaul University Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, 2235 N. Sheffield
  • 1/27/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Rush University Medical Center, 1650 West Harrison Street
  • 1/27/2020: 1 – 6 p.m., Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave.
  • 1/28/2020: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave.
  • 1/31/2020: 12 – 5 p.m., American Red Cross Chicago Chapter, 2200 West Harrison Street
  • 2/2/2020: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Old St. Mary’s Church, 1500 S. Michigan Avenue
  • 2/3/2020: 12 – 4 p.m., Robert Morris University, 401 S. State Street
  • 2/10/2020: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive
  • 2/11/2020: 1 – 6 p.m., Keller Williams Chicago Lakeview, 1525 W Belmont Ave
  • 2/20/2020: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Warde Academic Center, 3700 W. 103rd Street

Downers Grove

  • 2/17/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave

Evanston

  • 1/24/2020: 12 – 5 p.m., Northwestern University – Phi Kappa Psi, 2247 Sheridan

Forest Park

  • 2/9/2020: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., St John Lutheran Church, 305 Circle Ave.

Glencoe

  • 2/19/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Takiff Center, 999 Green Bay Rd

Grayslake

  • 2/3/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., St Andrew Episcopal Church, 31 Park Ave

Gurnee

  • 1/26/2020: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Members Church of God International, 3575 E. Grand Ave

Herscher

  • 2/3/2020: 12 – 6 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 225 E. Third

Joliet

  • 2/3/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Joliet Junior College, 1215 Houbolt
  • 2/4/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Joliet Junior College, 1215 Houbolt
  • 2/14/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Louis Joliet Mall, 3340 Mall Loop Drive

Kankakee

  • 2/21/2020: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Riverside Medical Center, 350 N. Wall

Lake Forest

  • 1/29/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Gorton Community Center, 400 E Illinois Rd

Lincolnshire

  • 2/20/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sedgebrook, 800 Audubon Way

Lisle

  • 2/18/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Krasa Center, 5700 College Road

Maywood

  • 2/4/2020: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Loyola University Center for Fitness, 2160 S. First Ave

Minooka

  • 1/31/2020: 12 – 4 p.m., Towneplace Suites by Marriott, 630 Bob Blair Rd.

Momence

  • 2/10/2020: 2 – 6 p.m., Momence Fire Department, 15 N Pine

Palos Heights

  • 2/9/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Humanitarian Relief Foundation, 6450 W College Dr
  • 2/10/2020: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ozinga Chapel, 6601 W. College Drive

River Forest

  • 2/11/2020: 1 – 6 p.m., River Forest West Suburban Temple Har Zion, 1040 North Harlem

Roselle

  • 2/5/2020: 12 – 5 p.m., Clarke, 159 N Garden Ave

Round Lake

  • 1/21/2020: 2:30 – 6:30 p.m., Round Lake Area Public Library, 906 Hart Rd

Schaumburg

  • 2/14/2020: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Cavalry Logistics, 895 American Lane

Sheldon

  • 2/10/2020: 12:30 – 6 p.m., Sheldon Community Center, 104 S.Fourth

Tinley Park

  • 2/7/2020: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Chicago Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers Local 17, 18520 Spring Creek

Watseka

  • 1/24/2020: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., The Arc of Iroquois County, 700 E Elm Street

Wilmette

  • 1/31/2020: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wilmette Community Recreation Center, 3000 Glenview Rd

Wilmington

  • 2/20/2020: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wilmington High School, 209 Wildcat Court