MONTEREY COUNTY — Blood donors can cross “save lives” and “find a Halloween costume” off their to-do list: Vitalant is rewarding all blood donors Sept. 15 through Oct. 5 with a spooktacular free “Instant Halloween Costume” T-shirt.
Not having a robust blood supply can be a scary situation. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. September is National Preparedness Month, and it’s the blood on hospital shelves that helps save lives when emergency strikes.
Donors of all blood types, especially type O are needed every day to replenish what is used to help patients. In an emergency, O-negative is crucial when there is not time to determine a patient’s blood type, and O-positive can help anyone with Rh-positive blood.
Sept. 15 through Oct. 5, all donors who make an appointment through the Vitalant app and donate will be automatically receive an “Instant Halloween Costume” T-shirt, redeemable through the online Donor Rewards program.
Download the Vitalant app to make an appointment, review recently updated eligibility requirements at vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Recent changes by the FDA now allow over 60% of the population to donate blood.
Upcoming Monterey County Blood Drives
- Monday, Sept. 16 – Del Monte Shopping Center, Monterey, 1-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 17 – Salinas Valley Health Hospital, Salinas, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 25 – Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, 12-4 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 26 – Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.