(Photo: stefamerpik)
While the holiday season is over and the Legion’s annual Holiday Blood Donor Drive has ended, the urgent demand for blood donations remains critical. The American Red Cross recently declared an emergency blood shortage, attributing it to the lowest donor numbers in two decades. In response the national shortage, American Legion is calling on Legion Family to donate through The American Legion Blood Donor Program.
Dr. Eric Gehrie, a medical director at the American Red Cross, told ABC News about the potential consequences of a blood shortage in hospitals. Challenges include delays in transfusions, rescheduled surgeries, and difficulties for patients with rare blood types in finding matching donors.
To address the shortage, American Legion encourages posts, districts, and departments interested in hosting a blood drive to visit the American Red Cross website here.
Additional information on setting up an appointment to make a blood donation is available through the American Red Cross, American Association of Blood Banks, and Council of Community Blood Centers.
Recognizing outstanding efforts, The American Legion Blood Donor Program awards departments in two categories: post participation and individual Legionnaire participation. Post participation honors the departments with the highest numbers of participating posts, while individual participation awards recognize departments with the highest percentage of individuals contributing to the program.
The 2022-2023 Consolidated Post Report, comprising data from over 8,200 American Legion posts, revealed that the Legion Family, with nearly 60,000 donors, supplied over 100,000 units of blood. This is in part due to Legion Family members stepping up last year by participating in a two-day Red Cross blood drive during the 104th National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., with 37 members donating.
As the Red Cross contributes around 40 percent of the nation’s blood donations, the American Legion Blood Donor Program plays a vital role. Originating in 1942 during World War II, the program began with members donating blood locally to meet domestic needs while sending plasma overseas for U.S. military troops. Over the years, The American Legion has grown to become the leading organizational blood donor for the Red Cross.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.