National Blood Donor Month Blood Shortage

January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to bring awareness to the critical need for blood donations.

Melanie Tschida, Executive Director, American Red Cross Southeast Minnesota, says blood donations are at a 20-year low and that their inventory of available blood has reached critically low levels.

Tschida says the Red Cross has started limiting the distribution of Type O blood due to the shortage.

To schedule a blood donation, go online to redcross.org and enter your zip code to see the closest blood drive or Red Cross location.