Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs the lifesaving power of blood. American Red Cross provides 40% of the U.S. blood supply with more than 500 blood drives every day, and each year we hold drives in all 32 Ohio Appalachian counties.

Even the act of donating blood helps make a community healthier.  Donors can maximize their blood donation and help more patients by making a Power Red donation, also known as Double Red, which takes only the qualified donor’s red blood cells, then comfortably returns the plasma and platelets to the donor. 

At a cost of just $31 per drive, the Power Red machine can result in a transfusable product which is available faster, needing just 24 hours for testing. The need for blood can strike anyone at any time, making options such as this are critically important during our current blood shortage.  

During the current donor supply crisis, blood donations are more important now that ever before. This project provides lifesaving equipment across all 32 Appalachian Ohio counties.