INDIANA — The American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage Monday, warning that its national blood supply plummeted by nearly 25% in June.
A steep decline in donations since late May has created an alarming gap between the available supply and critical patient needs. According to Red Cross officials, current distributions to hospitals are outpacing expected donations by nearly 3,500 units per week. This surge in demand coincides with the height of the summer trauma season, while busy summer schedules and the seasonal loss of school blood drives continue to drive donor numbers down.
The shortage is particularly severe for platelets, type O-positive blood, and type B-negative blood.
“A readily available blood supply serves as the backbone of modern medicine,” said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, medical director for the Red Cross. “Emergency departments, operating rooms, and labor and delivery units can’t support patients with the most urgent needs, and cancer patients must wait. We’re asking donors to give now before doctors are forced to make those difficult decisions.”
The organization noted that public misconceptions exacerbate the issue. A recent Red Cross survey revealed that less than 1 in 5 respondents understand that blood cannot be stockpiled due to its limited shelf life. Furthermore, only about half of those surveyed believed they or a loved one would ever need blood, despite the reality that someone in the United States requires a blood transfusion every two seconds.
To encourage donations, the Red Cross is offering a Fandango movie ticket via email (up to a $15 value) to anyone who comes to donate between July 13 and July 31, 2026. Appointments can be scheduled through the Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities: July 13–31
Crawford County
- English: July 17, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Civic Center, 204 Indiana Ave.
Daviess County
- Montgomery: July 16, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Providence Mennonite Church, 4738 US 50
- Odon: July 28, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Bethel Mennonite Church, 9335 North 900 East
- Plainville: July 23, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Canaan Fellowship, 8677 N 550 E
- Washington: July 28, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 1808 E National Hwy.
Dubois County
- Ferdinand: July 15, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., YMCA-Ferdinand, 131 E 16th St.
- Huntingburg: July 28, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., VFW Post 2366, 314 Geiger St.
- Jasper: July 14, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Jasper Parklands, 800 W 15th St.
- Jasper: July 24, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Memorial Hospital Medical Arts Building, 721 West 13th St.
- Jasper: July 27, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Jasper Library, 100 3rd Ave., Suite B
- Jasper: July 29, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Dubois County Health Department, 1187 S St. Charles St.
Gibson County
- Haubstadt: July 15, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. James Catholic Church, 12300 S 50 W
- Haubstadt: July 30, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Knights of Columbus Council 2215, 117 S. Main St.
- Princeton: July 17, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Deaconess Gibson Hospital, 1808 Sherman Drive
- Princeton: July 20, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Salvation Army, 202 S Gibson St.
- Princeton: July 21, 7 a.m. – 11 a.m., Diversity Vuteq, 825 E 350 S
- Princeton: July 21, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Diversity Vuteq, 825 E 350 S
- Princeton: July 21, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Diversity Vuteq, 825 E 350 S
Knox County
- Vincennes: July 22, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Highland Woods, 1377 Hart St.
Posey County
- Mount Vernon: July 14, 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Mount Vernon Nursing and Rehabilitation, 1415 Country Club Rd.
- Mount Vernon: July 16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., CountryMark Pavilion, 6855 Lower New Harmony Rd.
- Poseyville: July 27, 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Poseyville Community Center, 60 N. Church St.
Spencer County
- Santa Claus: July 30, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Santa Claus Christian Church, 351 N Holiday Blvd.
- Saint Meinrad: July 29, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., St. Meinrad School of Theology, 200 Hill Drive
