Red Cross makes push for blood donations, offering gift cards to donors

The American Red Cross is encouraging donors to give blood or platelets in February after thousands of donations went uncollected last month.

Those who make donations by Feb. 28 will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of choice.

The organization is asking for all blood types, especially those with O-negative blood, to make and keep their donation appointments.

Since the beginning of the year, hundreds of blood drives have been canceled and more than 15,000 blood and platelet donations have gone uncollected due to severe winter weather and wildfires, according to The American Red Cross

Learn more about donations at redcrossblood.org.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in North Texas

• Arlington: Feb. 20, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cooper Street YMCA, 7120 S Cooper Street
• Bedford: Feb. 28, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bedford YMCA, 2801 Forest Ridge Drive
• Carrollton: Feb. 27, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Carrollton Regional Medical Center, 4343 N. Josey Lane
• Corinth: Feb. 26, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., CoServ, 7701 S. Stemmons Freeway
• Dallas
  - Feb. 20, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Dallas County Records Building, 500 Elm Street
  - Feb. 21, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Avenue
  - Feb. 21, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Drive
  - Feb. 25, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Royal Lane Baptist Church, 6707 Royal Lane
  - Feb. 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross, 2055 Kendall Drive
• Denton: Feb. 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Medical City Denton-Professional Building, 3537 South Interstate 35 E
• Fort Worth
  - Feb. 19, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Medical City Fort Worth, 900 8th Avenue
  - Feb. 19, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Texas Christian University, 2901 Stadium Drive
  - Feb. 21, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., American Red Cross, 6000 Western Place, Ste. 100
  - Feb. 22, 3 p.m., St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 5953 Bowman Roberts Road
  - Feb. 27, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Hulen Mall, 4800 S Hulen Street
• Grand Prairie: Feb. 27, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Grand Prairie Family YMCA, 4556 S Carrier Parkway
• Highland Village: Feb. 25, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Highland Shores Community Center, 1 Community Center Road
• Mesquite
  - Feb. 22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wildwood Baptist Church, 531 S Walker Street
  - Feb. 27, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., St Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Drive
• Plano: Feb. 28, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Medical City Plano, 4001 West 15th Street
• Prosper: Feb. 21, : 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Prosper, 970 N Coit Road
• Southlake: Feb. 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Timarron Country Club, 1400 Byron Nelson Parkway
• Stephenville: Feb. 20, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Tarleton State University Thompson Student Center, 1452 W Jones Street