Mid Hudson Valley Area Red Cross Blood Drives Coming Up Soon

MID HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Red Cross and other blood donation organizations are working to bolster the country's blood supply as the pandemic wanes.

Those who give blood, platelets or plasma through the Red Cross in May will be entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. The Red Cross will also give donors a T-shirt between May 28 and June 13 while supplies last.

Actor James Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly, are urging people to donate blood this summer. Kimberly Van Der Beek needed blood transfusions in the past year after she experienced back-to-back pregnancy losses.

"Donating blood is something that I’ve always done throughout my life,” James Van Der Beek said. “It seemed important. But I never knew how important until the woman I love most was in a situation where that much blood made the difference between life and death. It just brought it home in a very real way.”

Here are the Red Cross blood drives coming up in the Mid Hudson Valley area in the next few weeks. You can search for additional Red Cross blood drives from a wider area here.

• 5/20/2021: 1 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Intersection Ministries, 945 136th Avenue (Holland)
• 5/20/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Boardman Road Branch Library, 141 Boardman Road (Poughkeepsie)
• 5/20/2021: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Grace Bible Church, 158 Myers Corners Road (Wappingers Falls)
• 5/20/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/20/2021: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Calvary Assembly, 3429 Chili Ave (Rochester)
• 5/20/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Rock Hill Firehouse, 61 Glen Wild Rd (Rock Hill)
• 5/21/2021: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, 661 NY-308 (Rhinebeck)
• 5/21/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/21/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Glad Tidings Church, 1980 Culver Road (Rochester)
• 5/21/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Sullivan West High School, Route 52 (Lake Huntington)
• 5/22/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/22/2021: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Schilling Burns Young Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 959, 48 Franklin Avenue (Clinton)
• 5/23/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/24/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/24/2021: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Unity Hospital SCU, 1555 Long Pond Road (Rochester)
• 5/24/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Best Western Plus Kingston Hotel, 503 Washington Avenue (Kingston)
• 5/25/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Port Jervis Elks Lodge 645, 35 Route 6 (Port Jervis)
• 5/25/2021: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Malta Ambulance, 2449 Rt. 9 (Malta)
• 5/25/2021: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mescal Hornbeck Community Center, 56 Rock City Road (Woodstock)
• 5/26/2021: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Margaretville Fire Department, 77 Church Street (Margaretville)
• 5/26/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/26/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Marketplace Mall, One Miracle Mile Drive (Rochester)
• 5/26/2021: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Jewish Community Center of Rochester, 1200 Edgewood Avenue (Rochester)
• 5/27/2021: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., LaGrange Fire Co No 2, Rt. 55, 504 Freedom Plains Rd (Poughkeepsie)
• 5/27/2021: 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, 21 Summers Street (Livonia)
• 5/27/2021: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/27/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Northridge Church, 2052 St. Paul St (Rochester)
• 5/28/2021: 10 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Intersection Ministries, 945 136th Avenue (Holland)
• 5/28/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/28/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Marketplace Mall, One Miracle Mile Drive (Rochester)
• 5/28/2021: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church Barclay Heights, 32 Church St. Rt. 9W (Saugerties)
• 5/29/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)
• 5/29/2021: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Marketplace Mall, One Miracle Mile Drive (Rochester)
• 5/30/2021: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Greece Blood Donation Center, 2590 W Ridge Rd (Greece)

Click here to see more Red Cross blood drives in the Mid Hudson Valley area, or search for others nearby.

Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by the American Red Cross. The local blood drives included in the list are limited to those at the time the Red Cross data was pulled. Please visit RedCrossBlood.org for the most current listing of drives. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com. Know of another blood drive coming up in your area? You can add it to the Patch calendar using this form.

People who have received a coronavirus vaccine can donate blood so long as they are symptom-free, feeling well and can provide the vaccine manufacturer's name, according to the American Red Cross. There is no waiting period after getting a vaccine dose.

All blood types are needed, especially type O, to refuel the country’s blood stockpile for the spring and summer.

In most states, donors need to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health; some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Donors 18 years old and younger need to meet certain height and weight requirements.

People who donate blood, platelets or plasma in May through the Red Cross will be automatically entered for a chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps five from Suburban Propane. Anyone who donates through May 15 will receive a $5 Amazon gift card by email courtesy of Suburban Propane.

Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. Appointments can be made via the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, online or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.