The American Red Cross faces an emergency blood shortage following a difficult Fourth of July weekend.

Right now, blood is being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.

"What's a bigger problem, is that our donor pool is declining," says Natividad Lewis, Communications Director for the American Red Cross in the Pacific Northwest. "We've noticed over the past four summers that there's been a decline of nearly 80,000 donors each summer."

More than 550 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and community groups over the holiday week, according to the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross is calling for donations of all blood types, and especially type O.

 

You can visit any of these local blood drives in the Tri-Cities area during the month of July:

Kennewick

  • 7/13/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 2001 West Kennewick Ave.
  • 7/20/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Benton Franklin American Red Cross, 7202 W. Deschutes
  • 7/20/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Gold's Gym, 151 N Ely Street
  • 7/23/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Mid Columbia Library, 1620 S Union Street
  • 7/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Carpenters Training, 4208 W Clearwater Ave., Ste. D

Richland

  • 7/11/2018: 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/12/2018: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/13/2018: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/17/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/20/2018: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/23/2018: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/27/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/30/2018: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way
  • 7/31/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 447 Wellsian Way

Pasco

  • 7/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., City of Pasco, 525 N 3rd Ave

To locate a blood donation drive near you, and to register to donate blood, click here.

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