Prevent a winter blood shortage: Give blood now
Donors have chance to win trip to Super Bowl LX during National Blood Donor Month
Red Cross, Saquon Barkley huddle up for a lifesaving play in January
TYLER, Texas, Jan. 5, 2026 — The American Red Cross is teetering on a blood shortage this winter, which could lead to a disruption in lifesaving care. Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now.
The Red Cross blood supply is under pressure following a busy holiday season when winter weather and packed schedules made it even tougher to ensure hospitals have the blood products needed for critical care. Without immediate action, doctors may have to make difficult decisions about which patients receive blood transfusions and who will need to wait. Donors with types O, A negative and B negative blood are especially needed now.
Don’t wait – make an appointment to give blood or platelets now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
For the seventh year, the Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering in January for National Blood Donor Month to urge individuals to kick off 2026 with a blood donation. As a thank-you to donors for helping address the need for blood during the critical post-holiday time, those who come to give Jan. 1-25, 2026, will be automatically entered for a chance to win an exciting Super Bowl LX giveaway. The winner and guest will get to enjoy Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, 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. For full details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.
Join a lifesaving team
The Red Cross and Pro Football Champion and blood donor Saquon Barkley are teaming up to remind donors that the best offense against a winter blood shortage is making and keeping blood donation appointments. The blood supply can drop quickly – now’s the time to get in the game and give blood <or platelets>.
“I gave blood once in college and that was the only time I had ever been asked to give, until the Red Cross reached out this fall,” said Barkley. “It was a no-brainer for me to give again. It only takes about an hour and once you realize in that short amount of time how much help it can bring – it’s a beautiful thing.”
Irving Blood and Platelet Donation Center
2511 West Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
Monday and Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday through Sunday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Plano Blood and Platelet Donation Center
741 N US-Central Expressway, Suite 1000
Monday and Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday through Sunday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 5-31:
Allen
1/22/2026: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Heritage at Twin Creeks, 920 Stockton Dr
Arlington
1/5/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street
1/8/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Medical City Arlington, 3201 Matlock Rd
1/17/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., University of Texas – Maverick Activities Center, 500 W Nedderman Dr
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., The Dwelling Place, 2805 W Arkansas Ln
1/22/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Cooper Street YMCA, 7120 S Cooper St
Bedford
1/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Bedford YMCA, 2801 Forest Ridge Dr
Carrollton
1/12/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hebron & Josey Library, 4220 N Josey Ln
Carthage
1/17/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, 310 W Panola St
Cleburne
1/24/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 303 S Nolan River Rd
Corsicana
1/8/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., St. Luke Methodist Church, 2308 Bowie Dr
Dallas
1/6/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Dr
1/9/2026: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ridgewood Belcher Recreation Center, 6818 Fisher Rd
1/9/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Kidd Springs Recreation Center, 711 W Canty St
1/9/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Bachman Recreation Center, 2750 Bachman Dr
1/10/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, 3014 Oak Lawn Ave
1/14/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road
1/15/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Skyline High School, 7777 Forney Rd
1/19/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Dr
1/19/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S Fitzhugh Ave
1/20/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Crescent Club, 200 Crescent Ct
1/21/2026: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Foundry Commercial, 8144 Walnut Hill Ln, Ste 120
1/21/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., White Rock YMCA, 7112 Gaston Ave
1/23/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Dr
1/28/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Uplift Atlas Preparatory, 4600 Bryan St
1/28/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Dr
1/29/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 411 North Washington, 411 N Washington Ave
Denton
1/9/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Medical City Denton-Professional Building, 3537 S I35 E
1/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Best Western Premier Crown Chase Inn & Suites, 2450 Brinker Rd
1/24/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 300 West Oak Str
Desoto
1/23/2026: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Desoto Recreation Center, 211 E Pleasant Run Rd
Duncanville
1/5/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Duncanville Public Library, 201 James Collins Blvd
Fairview
1/17/2026: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 651 E Stacy Rd
Farmers Branch
1/6/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Branch Church, 3035 Valley View Ln
Flower Mound
1/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, 6101 Morriss Rd
1/12/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Flower Mound Senior Center, 2701 W Windsor Dr
1/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1901 Timber Creek Rd
Forney
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The OC, 680 Innovation Blvd
Fort Worth
1/7/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., YMCA of Fort Worth, 9100 N Beach St
1/9/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 6000 Western Pl, Ste 100
1/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hulen Mall, 4800 S Hulen St
1/16/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 6000 Western Pl, Ste 100
1/22/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hulen Mall, 4800 S Hulen St
1/23/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 6000 Western Pl, Ste 100
1/27/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Texas A&M University School of Law, 1515 Commerce St
1/28/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Paul Laurence Dunbar Young Men’s Leadership Academy, 5100 Willie St
1/30/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 6000 Western Pl, Ste 100
Frisco
1/6/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Grove at Frisco Commons, 8300 McKinney Rd
1/8/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Medical City, 5575 Frisco Square Blvd
1/13/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Phillips Creek Ranch Community Association, 6515 Lone Star Ranch Pkwy
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 11000 Eldorado Pkwy
Granbury
1/8/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hood County YMCA, 1475 James Rd
Grapevine
1/22/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, 1650 W College St
Highland Village
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Highland Shores Community Center, 1 Community Center Rd
Irving
1/8/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Medical City Las Colinas, 6800 N MacArthur Blvd
1/15/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Irving, 801 W Irving Blvd
Italy
1/20/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Community Center, 108 Harpold St
Mansfield
1/6/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Walnut Creek Country Club, 1151 Country Club Dr
McKinney
1/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., VFW Post 2150 – The Lone Star Post, 1710 N Church St
1/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., North Texas Job Corps, 1701 N Church St
1/14/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Springhill Suites, 2660 S Central Expwy
Mesquite
1/22/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., St Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Dr
1/31/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Mesquite Public Library, 300 W Grubb Dr
North Richland Hills
1/8/2026: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Medical City North Hills, 4375 Booth Calloway Rd, Ste 202
Northlake
1/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Canyon Falls HOA, 6950 Canyon Falls Dr
Oak Point
1/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Wildridge Community Association, 9030 Sunset Ln
Plano
1/6/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Hope Center, 2001 W Plano Pkwy
1/16/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Liberty Recreation Center, 2601 Glencliff Dr
Prosper
1/29/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 970 N Coit Rd
Red Oak
1/19/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., First Baptist Church of Red Oak, 320 E Ovilla Rd
Rowlett
1/10/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8201 Garner Rd
The Colony
1/27/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., City of The Colony, 6804 Main St
Tyler
1/15/2026: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 320 E Rieck Rd
Waxahachie
1/7/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Hamilton at Garden Valley, 880 Garden Valley Pkwy
1/9/2026: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Waxahachie Family YMCA, 100 YMCA Dr
Weatherford
1/12/2026: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Weatherford Library, 1014 Charles St
Wylie
1/31/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 400 N Sanden Blvd
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
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.