Gov. Josh Shapiro has proclaimed Sept. 4 as Blood Donation Day in Pennsylvania as the American Red Cross urges people not to wait to make a lifesaving impact. The proclamation honors blood donors and calls on Pennsylvanians to support blood drives in their communities.
The timing matters. The blood supply remains vulnerable after recovering from critically low levels during a summer blood shortage, and September is when schedules tighten again. School starts, fall sports begin, work travel picks up, and donation appointments get pushed aside. The donations collected this month are what hospitals draw on through the fall.
“We are grateful to Gov. Shapiro for recognizing blood donors with this proclamation,” said Jorge Martinez, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. “Blood cannot be manufactured. Every unit of blood reaching a Pennsylvania hospital started with someone who made time to roll up a sleeve. Blood Donation Day is our chance to thank them and ask more people to join in.”
Pennsylvania joins states across the country in designating Sept. 4 as Blood Donation Day. The date falls inside National Blood Donation Week, observed Sept. 1 through 7, and sits days before Labor Day weekend. Donations drop over long holiday weekends because people travel and the schools and workplaces hosting blood drives close. Meanwhile, accident victims, new parents and people in cancer treatment need blood on the shelf through the holiday.
Take the first step this season to help save lives. Reserve your time to give blood or platelets by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
Give with Hello Kitty® and Friends
The American Red Cross and Hello Kitty® and Friends are celebrating kindness this September. Just like our friend Hello Kitty, your blood or platelet donation helps remind others that kindness, comfort and care are always better when shared. Those who come to give Sept. 1-20, 2026, will receive a Red Cross x Hello Kitty plush mascot clip and surprise sticker pack, while supplies last. See RedCrossBlood.org/HelloKitty for details.
How to donate blood
Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment. A blood donor card, driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About National Blood Donation Day
National Blood Donation Day, observed each Sept. 4, raises awareness of the need for a steady blood supply. Nationally syndicated radio host and physician Dr. Daliah Wachs started the effort in 2015, when she asked then-Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to declare a state blood donation day. She took the campaign nationwide in 2016, asking governors in all 50 states to designate Sept. 4 and help offset the seasonal drop in donations around Labor Day.
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.
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