Do you manage blood donations?

No. Save Three Lives is a virtual blood drive. Our purpose is to convince potential donors and direct them to a local center. We partner with Vitalant, a nonprofit that operates 115 donation centers nationwide.

Where else can I donate blood?

You can use the Red Cross’s blood drive finder to find a blood drive in your area. If you need to use this option, don’t sign up through Save Three Lives.

Am I eligible to donate blood?

You can check eligibility requirements on the Red Cross’s website.

What if I’m not eligible?

If you aren’t eligible, you can still help by spreading awareness about the importance of donating.

Is it safe to donate blood?

The Red Cross: “Yes, donating blood is safe. You can’t get AIDS or any other infectious disease from giving blood because we always use new, sterile needles that are discarded after one use.

“You’ll even be given a mini-physical at your appointment, to ensure you are healthy enough to donate that day. We’ll check your temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin.”

Why is blood donation so important?

Every 2 seconds, an American will need blood. There is no substitute for blood, and the need must be fulfilled from donors. Your donation may help the victim of a car accident make it to the hospital or help a baby with sickle cell disease.

Where can I find more information about blood donation?

The Mayo Clinic describes the procedure on this page. The Red Cross has comprehensive and easy-to-understand explanations on its blood services site.

Some useful Red Cross pages:

• first time donors

• blood donation types

• the blood donation process

• what happens to donated blood

• the free health assessment

• donation requirements

• teen donation

• iron and blood donation

• what to do before, during, and after the procedure