Members of the Resource Center and the American Red Cross take a group photo celebrating the collaborative efforts.

Since 2017, The Resource Center has been partnering with the American Red Cross to host multiple blood drives each year, with the hope of helping to aid the blood shortage at local hospitals.

With the great turnout at the most recent drive, along with the record-breaking turnout at the event back in September, the organization gives thanks to the community and hopes to see continued support at upcoming events.

The most recent blood drive took place on Jan. 16 at the Resource Center building located at 200 Dunham Avenue. The blood drive took place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and was the 27th drive the the organizations have collaboratively held since 2017. John Desantis, drive coordinator, said the drive had a set goal of 51 units of blood, with the organizations collecting 31 in the end. While slightly short of the goal, it was still a relatively high collection. Desantis noted that every one unit can actually benefit up to three people in need, meaning that this drive was able to get enough blood to help about 93 people. This amount of blood will certainly be useful to help many local residents, and potentially people around the country, get the medical care they need.

“The way that it works is they fill the need locally, at hospitals and banks and whatnot. Then, if they’re able to meet their quota, then they’ll start shipping the blood elsewhere,” said Desantis. “But as far as blood drives are considered, 31, it’s pretty good. Especially considering every unit of blood helps out three people in need.”

With this most recent drive’s additions, the organizations have collected a total of more than 800 units of blood since 2017. Desantis mentioned some of the previous events held in collaboration, with one of the largest being the blood drive on Sept. 19, 2025. Desantis noted that this blood drive filled 46 of the 50 available slots, nearly bringing the drive to full capacity.

Desantis also noted the success of the drive in July, 2025, which saw 29 of the 39 anticipated units filled. In May, 2025, 45 of the 51 anticipated units were filled, according to Desantis. Currently, Dentis noted that the next planned drive is set for May of this year. With the groups typically hosting three or four drives each year, more are likely to be scheduled throughout this year.

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month, according to a recent news release. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and types O, A negative and B negative blood.

High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also forced to triage critical blood products. Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk.

About 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive blood transfusions and who will need to wait.

“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”