Red Cross Blood Drive

Join First German UMC in saving lives this November. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred. You can make an appointment to donate here.

On the day of your donation, you can fill out a Rapid Pass to shorten your appointment time. Make sure you have access to a printer or you complete the form on your phone so you can show the QR code generated to the nurse.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there an age limit to donate?

You must be at least 16 years old (with guardian’s approval) and there is no upper age limit although its recommended to ask your doctor if you are considered in good enough health to donate.

How should I prepare to donate?

Drink lots of water several hours leading up to your donation and continue to drink water after you donate. Some people may need to reduce or remove caffeine intake before donating as caffeine dehydrates and restricts blood flow. Eat a hearty meal before you donate – it can also help after. If you are prone to low iron, taking a supplement or drinking orange juice before you donate may help elevate your iron levels (which need to be a little higher than normal to be eligible to donate that day). You can fill out a rapid pass the day of your donation to speed up the health interview at the beginning of your appointment to determine your eligibility to donate. Make sure to screen capture your bar code at the end or print it before your appointment.

I was told I wan’t able to donate previously (not really a question, but a comment you might hear).

The FDA has recently changed several eligibility requirements including time spent in Europe and lifestyle restrictions that more accurately reflecting risk for HIV infection, however it will take time for blood donation organizations and sites like the Red Cross to implement these changes in their health assessments. There are also many temporary circumstances that can affect your eligibility for only a period of time – like receiving vaccinations or certain medical procedures, getting a tattoo or piercing, low iron, etc. You may actually be eligible now or soon and it may be worth checking into if you are otherwise interested in donating. You can always fill out a rapid pass (even without an appointment to donate) to see what the current health interview questions are and what medications restrict your eligibility to donate.

How long does a donation take?

From start to finish, the process usually takes about an hour. But that includes checking in for your appointment, completing the health interview, having your blood pressure taken and iron levels tested, donating, and recovery. The time it takes to donate whole blood usually takes about 10 minutes (some people are much faster and some a bit slower – if you want to speed up your donation time, make sure you are well hydrated before donating… it really does make a HUGE difference). The Red Cross staff will ask you to remain in the “canteen” for 15 minutes after you finish donating to eat some snacks, drink some water, and make sure you are feeling well after your donation. Donating Power Red (double red blood cell unit) will take longer during the donation time, but the recovery may be easier.

Will my donation make an impact?

YES! Each whole blood donation can save up to 3 lives. That’s three real people whose life you can save by donating a single pint of your blood!

How long will it take to replenish the pint of blood I donate?

The plasma from your donation is replaced within 24 hours. Red Blood Cells take about 4-6 weeks to be completely replaced. I have donated whole blood over 30 times and each time I feel the same way after donating – for the first 2-5 minutes I feel the slightest light headedness, but that quickly goes away with a snack and after I start walking around. I feel noticeably tired for the next 24 hours and can get out of breath walking up hills, etc. After the first 24 hours, I am only reminded that I donated if I participate in strenuous exercise within the next week or two, otherwise, I would never know.

What if Glendale isn’t a convenient location for me to donate?

Search for other Red Cross blood drives/donation locations here. You can also ask a local hospital if they have blood donation centers to care for their patients.

More Questions?

Here is the Red Cross’ FAQ page.