Red Cross teams with NFL to urge blood and plasma donation during National Blood Donor Month

The American Red Cross and the National Football League are teaming up this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals – especially those who have recovered from COVID-19 – to give blood and to help tackle the national convalescent plasma shortage. Right now, more donors are needed to help hospital patients.

Those who come to donate blood or platelets this month will be automatically entered to win two tickets to next year’s Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. In addition, those who come to give Jan. 1-20 will also be automatically entered to win the Big Game at Home package for a viewing experience safely at home, with a 65-inch television and a $500 gift card to put toward food and fun.

Individuals can schedule an appointment to give blood by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or activating the Blood Scheduling Skill for Amazon Alexa.

“Blood and plasma donors who have recovered from COVID-19 may have the power to help critically ill patients currently battling the virus,” Dr. Erin Goodhue, Red Cross medical director of clinical services, said in a prepared statement. “With hospital distributions for convalescent plasma increasing about 250% since October, these generous donations are vital in helping to save lives throughout the winter – a time that is often challenging to collect enough blood products for those in need.”

As COVID-19 cases have risen across the U.S., so has the need for convalescent plasma – leading to a shortage of this potentially lifesaving blood product. Like “special teams” units on the field, COVID-19 survivors have a unique ability to make a game-changing difference in the lives of COVID-19 patients. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may have antibodies in their plasma that could provide a patient’s immune system the boost it needs to beat the virus.

There are two ways COVID-19 survivors can help – through a convalescent plasma donation or by simply giving whole blood. Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients. Health emergencies don’t pause for holidays, game days or a pandemic – blood is needed every two seconds in the U.S. to help patients battling injury and illness.

To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, individuals who do not feel well or who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should postpone their donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – 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 and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:45 a.m.-8 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)

Thursday: 10 a.m.-6: 15 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 7:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (whole blood and platelet pheresis)

Lawrence Township

1/21/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Quaker Bridge Mall, 3320 Brunswick Pike

1/27/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Church of Saint Ann, 1253 Lawrenceville Road

1/16/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Trenton Cyrus #5 Masonic Lodge, 131 Burd Street

1/28/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Central Jersey Masonic Center, 345 River Road

Trenton

1/26/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hamilton Council #6213, 1451 Klockner Road

Dunellen

1/21/2021: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Francis Episcopal Church, 400 New Market Road

1/19/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., American Legion Post 435, 43 Oakland Avenue

Iselin

1/12/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Woodbridge Township Ambulance & Rescue Squad, 77 Queen Street

Parlin

1/30/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aquatic & Fitness Center, 333 Cheesequake Road

1/6/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Radisson Hotel Piscataway-Somerset, 21 Kingsbridge Road

Plainsboro

1/22/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, 1 Plainsboro Road

South Amboy

1/11/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., South Amboy Senior Center, 108 South Stevens Avenue

Colts Neck

1/20/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Colts Neck Fire Company #1, 123 Route 537

1/6/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road

1/17/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Freehold Family YMCA, 470 East Freehold Road

1/21/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monmouth County Agricultural Building, 4000 Kozloski Road

1/26/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Freehold Township Senior Center, 116 Jackson Mills Road

Red Bank

1/17/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Red Bank Family YMCA, 166 Maple Ave

Sea Girt

1/21/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 215 Crescent Parkway

1/7/2021: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Jersey Coast Chapter, 1540 W. Park Avenue

1/13/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Jersey Coast Chapter, 1540 W. Park Avenue

1/26/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Jersey Coast Chapter, 1540 W. Park Avenue

Lakehurst

1/13/2021: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Lakehurst Community Center, 207 Center Street

Manahawkin

1/5/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Manahawkin United Methodist Church, 116 Stafford Avenue

1/14/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Beach Haven Moose Lodge 1575, 120 Route 72

1/22/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Perry’s Lake, 4 Princeton Drive

Normandy Beach

1/29/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Dover Brick Beach First Aid, 123 Second Avenue

Toms River

1/6/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Days Hotel by Wyndham Toms River, 290 Route 37 East

1/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1500 Hooper Avenue

1/20/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Days Hotel by Wyndham Toms River, 290 Route 37 East

Tuckerton

1/27/2021: 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Red Men Lodge, 145 West Main Street

Waretown

1/5/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Engel Sprague Senior Center, 239 11th Street

Basking Ridge

1/3/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., St. James Roman Catholic Church, 184 S. Finley Avenue

1/7/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Somerset Hills YMCA, 140 Mount Airy Road

1/26/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Clarence Dillon Public Library, 2336 Lamington Road

Hillsborough

1/10/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hillsborough YMCA, 19 E. Mountain Street

Manville

2/2/2021: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., VFW Post 2290, 600 Washington Avenue

Somerville

1/22/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Raritan Valley Lodge #46, 14 North Doughty Avenue

Warren

1/15/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Stonecrest Community Church, 11 Technology Drive

Bordentown

1/26/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Rutgers Eco Complex, 1200 Florence-Columbus Road

Browns Mills

1/12/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., BMIA Building, 40 Arbutus Street

Burlington

1/21/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Burlington Masonic Lodge 32 F&AM, 2308 Mount Holly Road

1/24/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1308 Mt. Holly Road

Chesterfield

1/15/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Old York Country Club, 228 Old York Road

Cinnaminson

1/17/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Temple Sinai, 2101 New Albany Road

Columbus

1/7/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Columbus Grange, 88 Atlantic Avenue

Cookstown

1/28/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., VFW Post 6590, 22 Wrightstown-Cookstown Road

Delran

1/14/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Calvary Church, 317 Conrow Road

Eastampton

1/26/2021: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1341 Woodlane Road

Edgewater Park

1/6/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Beverly Presbyterian Church, 121 E. Warren Street

Florence

1/16/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Florence United Methodist Church, 209 Broad Street

Hainesport

1/16/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hainesport Volunteer Fire Company, 106 Broad Street

1/22/2021: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 910 Marne Highway

Marlton

1/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Joan of Arc Church, 100 Willow Bend Road

Medford

1/7/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Medford United Methodist Church, 2 Hartford Road

1/8/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1 Hartford Road

1/20/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Medford Masonic Lodge 178, 25 Bank Street

Moorestown

1/12/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Virtua, 401 Young Avenue

1/18/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Community House of Moorestown, 16 East Main Street

1/19/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, 207 W. Main Street

Mount Holly

1/4/2021: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Virtua Memorial Hospital, 175 Madison Avenue

1/23/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 125 Garden Street

Mount Laurel

1/5/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Golder Associates, 200 Century Parkway, Suite C

1/7/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Rowan College at Burlington County Votta Hall, 3331 Route 38

1/9/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Mount Laurel EMS, 201 Masonville Road

1/10/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Adath Emanu-El, 205 Elbo Lane

1/20/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Rowan College at Burlington County Votta Hall, 3331 Route 38

1/21/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Adath Emanu-El, 205 Elbo Lane

Riverside

1/5/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Beverly-Riverside Lodge 107 of F&AM, 621 South Chester Avenue

Riverton

1/15/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Riverton Health & Fitness Center, 600 Main Street, Suite 9

Roebling

1/23/2021: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 1285 Hornberger Avenue

1/27/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Legion Post 39, 112 4th Avenue

Tabernacle

1/25/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 1 Winchester Court

Willingboro

1/5/2021: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m., First Baptist Church, 216 Sunset Road

1/21/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Corpus Christi Church, 11. S Sunset Road