This week, the Red Cross—the nation’s largest supplier of blood donations—announced an emergency blood shortage. The organization reported its lowest rate of donors in 20 years.
“One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty refrigerator without any blood products,” Dr. Pampee Young, the chief medical officer of the Red Cross, said in a statement. “A person needs lifesaving blood every two seconds in our country—and its availability can be the difference between life and death.”
To incentivize donations, the Red Cross is partnering with the NFL to offer an all-expense paid trip to the Super Bowl to a randomly selected donor. Anyone who donates blood this January, which is National Blood Donor Month, is eligible for the lottery
Here’s where eligible Washingtonians can donate:
Dr. Charles Drew Red Cross Blood and Platelet Donation Center
1730 E Street NW
Located adjacent to the Red Cross’s national headquarters, this donation center is two blocks away from the National Mall. Register here or call 1-800-733-2767. The Red Cross also operates donation sites in Rockville (11820 Parklawn Dr.) and Fairfax (8550 Arlington Blvd.).
Children’s National Medical Center
Laboratory Medicine, 111 Michigan Ave., NW
While only adults can donate blood, they can do so at Children’s National Medical Center. Register here or call 202-476-5437.
Armed Services Blood Bank Center
8901 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (Building 9, Floor 3)
For those looking to help military service members and veterans and their families, this center is set up specifically for local military hospitals serving for active and retired duty members of all branches and their families. Register here or call 301-295-2104.
National Institutes of Health
10 Center Dr., Bethesda
Located between Rockville and Bethesda, the sprawling NIH complex includes a blood donation center on the first floor of Building 10—along with reserved parking for donors. Email nihbloodbank@mail.cc.nih.gov or call 301-496-1048 to register.
Inova Blood Donor Services
3289 Woodburn Rd., Annandale; 6201 Centreville Rd., Centreville; 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling
The Inova Blood Donor Services at Woodburn, located adjacent to the Inova Fairfax hospital, is one of three blood donation centers that the Virginia healthcare provider operates in the region, with locations also in Centreville and Sterling. Register here or call 866-256-6372.
