National Blood Crisis Now: Immediate Need for Blood Donations

Red Cross issues rare crisis call for donors as summer blood shortage intensifies

Patient care threatened as critical blood type levels continue to fall

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (July 27, 2026) — For only the second time in history, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis — and patients may already be feeling the impact. Donors are asked to act immediately to help save lives.

Blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low, worsening this season’s emergency blood shortage. All blood types are needed, but the situation is especially dire for type O blood as the Red Cross is now limiting distributions of these blood products to hospitals. The supply of type O positive blood has now dropped below a one-day supply.

Help end this crisis and stabilize the blood supply. Book an appointment to give blood now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). As a thank-you, all who come to give by July 31 will receive a Fandango Movie Ticket by email (up to $15 ticket price and fees). See RedCrossBlood.org/July.

Additionally, those who come to give Aug. 1-31, 2026, will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card by email. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/August.

Patients can’t wait
Despite thousands of people who have stepped up to help end the emergency blood shortage since it was declared earlier this month, donations are still not keeping pace with hospital demand, and the situation has escalated. Extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses continue to contribute to lower donor turnout this summer.

“This summer has brought a number of unique challenges that have placed additional strain on our blood supply, creating growing concerns for hospitals and the patients who rely on lifesaving transfusions,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of donor services for the Red Cross. “If just three more donors gave at each blood drive this summer, we could help the blood supply rebound and ensure hospitals have the blood products they need throughout the remainder of the season.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 27-Aug. 15:
WI

Dodge

Beaver Dam
8/24/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 311 W Mackie St
8/25/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 311 W Mackie St

Fox Lake
8/17/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Living Hope Community Church, 740 W. State St, PO Box 111

Horicon
8/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Horicon Police Department, 220 Ellison St

Iron Ridge
8/4/2026: 1:45 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Michael’s Lutheran Church, N4911 Gray Road

Juneau
8/20/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Human Services and Health Department, 199 County Road DF

Lomira
8/24/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Trinity Methodist Church, 300 Church St

Mayville
8/26/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 134 South Main Street

Randolph
8/26/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Village of Randolph, Village of Randolph, 248 West Stroud St

Waupun
8/20/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Pizza Ranch, 900 W Main St
_______________

Fond du Lac

Eden
8/7/2026: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Eden Fire Department, 104 Pine St

Fond du Lac
7/28/2026: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., American Legion, 500 Fond du Lac Ave
7/28/2026: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., American Legion, 500 Fond du Lac Ave
7/31/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fond du Lac Public Library, 32 Sheboygan St.
8/19/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Church of Peace, 158 S Military Rd
8/19/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Avenue 795, 795 Fond du Lac Ave
8/20/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, 625 W Rolling Meadows Dr

North Fond du Lac
8/7/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., North Fond du lac Community Center, 280 Garfield St.

Ripon
8/18/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church ELCA, 430 Griswold St

Saint Cloud
8/25/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6 p.m., St Cloud Athletic Club, 911 Main St
_______________

Jefferson

Fort Atkinson
8/3/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Creamery 201, 201 N. Main St.
8/24/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Nitardy Funeral Homes, 1008 Madison Ave
8/26/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Dwight Foster Public Library, 209 Merchants Ave

Jefferson
8/14/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Jefferson Public Library, 321 S. Main St.
8/28/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., St. Coletta of Wisconsin, N4637 Co Rd Y

Johnson Creek
8/6/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community Center, 417 Union St

Lake Mills
8/19/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lake Mills Fire Department, 120 Veterans Ln

Waterloo
8/11/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., St. Joseph Church, 387 S Monroe

Watertown
8/5/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Watertown Senior & Community Center, 514 S. First Street
8/28/2026: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Schultz Family YMCA, 674 Johnson St
_______________

Kenosha

Kenosha
7/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Kenosha Yacht Club, 5130 4th Ave
7/31/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 8760 37th Ave
8/13/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 5601 Washington Rd

Salem Lakes
7/28/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Healing Grounds Cafe & Juicery, 7510 288th Ave
_______________

Milwaukee

Brown Deer
7/31/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Pauls Lutheran Church, 8080 N 47th St.

Franklin
8/25/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Franklin Public Library, 9151 W Loomis Road

Greendale
8/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 6705 Northway

Greenfield
7/28/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Greenfield City Hall, 7325 W Forest Home Ave

Milwaukee
8/4/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Honey Creek Corporate Center, 115 S 84th St
8/4/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kosciuszko Community Center, 2201 S 7th St
8/14/2026: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Urban Ecology Center – Riverside Park Branch, 1500 E Park Pl
8/19/2026: 7 a.m. – 10 a.m., MobCraft Beer Brewery and Taproom, 505 S 5th St
8/21/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Southside Church of Christ, 1933 W Grange Ave
8/27/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., General Mitchell Airport Delta Air Lines, 5300 S Howell Ave
8/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Margaret Mary Parish, 3970 N 92nd St

Oak Creek
8/5/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Homewood Suites by Hilton, 1900 W Creekside Xing Cir

River Hills
7/30/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., St Christophers Episcopal Church, 7845 N River Rd

Shorewood
7/28/2026: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Shorewood Village Center, 3930 N. Murray Ave.

Wauwatosa
7/29/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Current Electric Co, 2942 N 117th St.

West Allis
8/13/2026: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., West Allis Public Library, 7421 W National Ave

Whitefish Bay
8/28/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Whitefish Bay Library, 5420 N Marlborough Dr
_______________

Ozaukee

Cedarburg
8/11/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Francis Borgia Cath Church, 1375 Covered Bridge Rd

Mequon
8/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Unitarian Church North, 13800 N. Port Washington Road

Port Washington
8/18/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Matthew Lutheran Church, 1525 N Grant St
_______________

Racine

Burlington
8/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Burlington United Methodist Church, 857 W State St

Mt Pleasant
8/26/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Image Management Family YMCA, 8501 Campus Dr

Waterford
8/20/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Waterford Public Library, 101 N River St
_______________

Sheboygan

Cedar Grove
8/4/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Faith Reformed Church, 243 S Fourth St

Plymouth
8/19/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Ladewig Zinkgraf American Legion Post 243, 40 S Stafford St

Sheboygan
7/31/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
8/7/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
8/14/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
8/21/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
8/27/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Uptown Social, 1817 N 8th St
8/28/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
_______________

Walworth

Delavan
8/11/2026: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 416 W Geneva
8/17/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Lake Lawn Resort, 2400 E Geneva St

Elkhorn
7/29/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Elkhorn Area High School, 482 E Geneva St
8/20/2026: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Sugar Creek Lutheran Church, N5690 Cobblestone Rd

Lake Geneva
8/7/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., The Cove of Lake Geneva, 111 Center Street

Walworth
8/18/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Big Foot High School, 401 Devils Ln
_______________

Washington

Germantown
8/28/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Germantown Community Library, N112W16957 Mequon Rd

Hartford
7/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Hartford Recreation Center, 125 N Rural St

Jackson
7/29/2026: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Jackson Community Center, N165 W20330 Hickory Ln

Kewaskum
8/6/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Peace United Church of Christ, 343 1st St.

West Bend
8/5/2026: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., West Bend City Hall, 1115 S Main Street
8/5/2026: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., West Bend City Hall, 1115 S Main Street
8/12/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., American Legion Post 36, 712 Park Ave.
_______________

Waukesha

Brookfield
8/24/2026: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Brookfield Public Library, 1900 N Calhoun Rd
8/25/2026: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Brookfield East High School, 3305 North Lilly Rd
8/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., The Corners of Brookfield, 270 Lord Street

Butler
8/21/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Frontier Park Community Building, 5251 N. 127th Street

Elm Grove
7/27/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Elm Grove Village Hall, 13600 Juneau Blvd

Hartland
7/31/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., First Congregational Church, 246 E Capitol Dr
8/3/2026: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oakwood Church, 3041 Oakwood Rd
8/19/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lake Country Lutheran High School, 401 Campus Dr
8/21/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hartland Public Library, 110 E Park Ave

Lannon
8/18/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St Johns Lutheran Church, 20851 W Main St

Menomonee Falls
7/30/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Legion Post 382, N88 W16652 Main St
8/27/2026: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Legion Post 382, N88 W16652 Main St

Mukwonago
8/17/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Storyhill Church, S93 W30580 County Rd NN

Muskego
8/28/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Muskego Public Library, S73W16663 Janesville Rd

New Berlin
7/27/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., New Berlin Public Library, 15105 Library Ln
8/6/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Living Word Church, 21401 W. National Avenue
8/10/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., OAW Indoor Sports Complex, 5330 S Racine Ave
8/24/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Eisenhower High School, 4333 S Sunnyslope Rd
8/25/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., New Berlin Public Library, 15105 Library Ln

North Prairie
8/24/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Highview Evangelical Presbyterian Church, S50 W33042 Town Rd GE

Oconomowoc
7/30/2026: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, N50 W35181 E Wisconsin Ave
7/31/2026: 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., YMCA at Pabst Farms, 1750 Valley Rd
7/31/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran School, 210 E Pleasant St
8/10/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 800 Lake Dr
8/21/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Oconomowoc Public Library, 200 W South St

Okauchee Lake
8/17/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Magnus Anderson American Legion Post 399, N50W34760 E Wisconsin Ave

Pewaukee
7/27/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/28/2026: 10:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/29/2026: 8:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/30/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Red Cross, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/31/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/1/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/2/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/3/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/4/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/5/2026: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/7/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/8/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/9/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/10/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/10/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., The Ingleside Hotel, 2810 Golf Rd
8/11/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/12/2026: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/14/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/15/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/16/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/17/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/18/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/19/2026: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/21/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/22/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/23/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/24/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/25/2026: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/26/2026: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/28/2026: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd

Summit
8/26/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Summit Village Hall, 37100 Delafield Road

Wales
7/30/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Preschool, 470 N Oak Crest Dr

Waukesha
8/3/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Raised Grain Brewing Company, 1725 Dolphin Drive
8/14/2026: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Catholic Memorial High School, 601 E College Ave

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.