Local Blood And Money Donations Needed For Hurricane Harvey Relief

A regional blood center needs donors to replenish local supplies while the local Red Cross has already mobilized volunteers in response to Hurricane Harvey.

The Central Illinois Community Blood Center in Springfield has donated blood units to the Houston area because Texas blood centers aren’t able to host blood donors right now; however hospitals still need blood for surgery and emergencies.

McFarland is glad to help with hurricane relief, but but now local blood supplies are running low. “We are asking people to come to our donor center so we can replenish our shelves in this region and we can help Texas again if they ask," McFarland explained. McFarland added blood supply is always tight around the Labor Day holiday anyway, so she said people to donate.

Meanwhile, local Red Cross volunteers have already responded to the call to help with Hurricane Harvey relief.

Lyn Hruska is the CEO for the Central and Southern Region for the Red Cross. She says 33 local volunteers are already on the way to the Houston area to help residents find shelter and food. She said, “These are folks who leave their jobs and their families to go where help is needed. Most of the folks that are going are staying for a three-week assignment and some are staying longer than that.”

Hruska says you can help with the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts with a donation at redcross.org. To schedule a blood donation, go online to bloodcenter.org.