American Red Cross - Cascades Region

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News Release

Senate And House Square Off Again In Annual Capitol Hill Blood Drive - 02/16/26

Senate and House Square Off Again in Annual Capitol Hill Blood Drive

Following a dead-even finish last year, legislators renew their friendly competition at a time when the national blood supply is dangerously low.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(PORTLAND, OR) February 16, 2026 

It’s back! The annual Oregon State Capitol Hill Blood Drive in Salem—a friendly competition between the Oregon Senate and House. Which side will break the tie from last year, when both chambers donated 18 units of blood? We’ll find out.

 

This year’s competition is more important than ever since the nation is still in a severe blood shortage. Extreme winter weather in the east has cancelled more than 500 blood drives, leaving 20,000 units of blood uncollected adding to our shortage. 

 

“This event is a great way to help end the shortage and assure that blood will be on the shelves when hospitals need it,” says Red Cross CEO Priscilla Fuentes, “plus, it’s a lot of fun.”

 

“I challenge my colleagues to come join us and donate blood. It takes less than an hour, and you can leave knowing you saved somebody’s life,” says Secretary of State Tobias Read. 

 

Join us for this great blood drive on Tuesday, February 17.

Media availability at 9:30am.

  • Senate President Pro Tempore James I. Manning, Jr. (blood drive host)
  • Secretary of State Tobias Read
  • Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr
  • House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer
  • Representative Travis Nelson 
  • Red Cross CEO Priscilla Fuentes

Blood donations will be accepted between 10am and 3pm.

  • Secretary Read 10am
  • Senator Starr 12:45pm
  • Representative Elmer 12:45pm
  • Senator Manning 1pm
  • Representative Nelson 2:15pm

Location:

Capitol Building, 900 Court Street NE, Rm 357

Donors can sign up to donate by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

 

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 visit us on social media at @RedCrossCascades.

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Senate And House Square Off Again In Annual Capitol Hill Blood Drive - 02/16/26

Senate and House Square Off Again in Annual Capitol Hill Blood Drive

Following a dead-even finish last year, legislators renew their friendly competition at a time when the national blood supply is dangerously low.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(PORTLAND, OR) February 16, 2026 

It’s back! The annual Oregon State Capitol Hill Blood Drive in Salem—a friendly competition between the Oregon Senate and House. Which side will break the tie from last year, when both chambers donated 18 units of blood? We’ll find out.

 

This year’s competition is more important than ever since the nation is still in a severe blood shortage. Extreme winter weather in the east has cancelled more than 500 blood drives, leaving 20,000 units of blood uncollected adding to our shortage. 

 

“This event is a great way to help end the shortage and assure that blood will be on the shelves when hospitals need it,” says Red Cross CEO Priscilla Fuentes, “plus, it’s a lot of fun.”

 

“I challenge my colleagues to come join us and donate blood. It takes less than an hour, and you can leave knowing you saved somebody’s life,” says Secretary of State Tobias Read. 

 

Join us for this great blood drive on Tuesday, February 17.

Media availability at 9:30am.

  • Senate President Pro Tempore James I. Manning, Jr. (blood drive host)
  • Secretary of State Tobias Read
  • Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr
  • House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer
  • Representative Travis Nelson 
  • Red Cross CEO Priscilla Fuentes

Blood donations will be accepted between 10am and 3pm.

  • Secretary Read 10am
  • Senator Starr 12:45pm
  • Representative Elmer 12:45pm
  • Senator Manning 1pm
  • Representative Nelson 2:15pm

Location:

Capitol Building, 900 Court Street NE, Rm 357

Donors can sign up to donate by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

 

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 visit us on social media at @RedCrossCascades.

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Cascades Red Cross Deploys Disaster Relief Volunteers To Aid In Winter Storm Response - 01/27/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

[PORTLAND, OR, Jan. 27, 2026]

 

The American Red Cross is providing shelter to more than 4,000 people in 210 facilities spanning from Texas and Louisiana to Tennessee and Virginia, in response to the blizzard conditions and extreme freezing temperatures affecting much of the country.

 

The Red Cross Cascades Region (OR and SW WA) has deployed 7 volunteers and 4 more are on standby if they are needed.

These volunteers will be helping with things like sheltering, feeding and distributing emergency supplies.

 

This extreme weather has also forced the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives in the affected areas, leaving 10,000 units uncollected, intensifying our blood shortage.

 

Read more about that HERE: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2026/severe-winter-weather-intensifying-severe-blood-shortage--more-t.html

 

 

How can people in Oregon and SW Washington help? Make an appointment to donate blood at https://www.redcrossblood.org/ and help keep the supply strong for hospitals and patients.

 

 

Original blood shortage release:

 

Severe blood shortage: Red Cross blood supply drops 35%

Donors urged to make an appointment to give blood and platelets amid growing flu, winter weather impact

 

[PORTLAND, OR, Jan. 20, 2026] —

 

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month. Individuals are urged to give now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. The shortage is especially serious for platelets, types O, A negative and B negative blood.

High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also forced to triage critical blood products. Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk. 

 

There’s no time to wait — book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 

All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

 

Weather disrupts vital donations

About 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive blood transfusions and who will need to wait.

 

“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”

 

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, servicing 65 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest; 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.

 

# # #

Cascades Red Cross Deploys Disaster Relief Volunteers To Aid In Winter Storm Response - 01/27/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

[PORTLAND, OR, Jan. 27, 2026]

 

The American Red Cross is providing shelter to more than 4,000 people in 210 facilities spanning from Texas and Louisiana to Tennessee and Virginia, in response to the blizzard conditions and extreme freezing temperatures affecting much of the country.

 

The Red Cross Cascades Region (OR and SW WA) has deployed 7 volunteers and 4 more are on standby if they are needed.

These volunteers will be helping with things like sheltering, feeding and distributing emergency supplies.

 

This extreme weather has also forced the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives in the affected areas, leaving 10,000 units uncollected, intensifying our blood shortage.

 

Read more about that HERE: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2026/severe-winter-weather-intensifying-severe-blood-shortage--more-t.html

 

 

How can people in Oregon and SW Washington help? Make an appointment to donate blood at https://www.redcrossblood.org/ and help keep the supply strong for hospitals and patients.

 

 

Original blood shortage release:

 

Severe blood shortage: Red Cross blood supply drops 35%

Donors urged to make an appointment to give blood and platelets amid growing flu, winter weather impact

 

[PORTLAND, OR, Jan. 20, 2026] —

 

The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month. Individuals are urged to give now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. The shortage is especially serious for platelets, types O, A negative and B negative blood.

High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also forced to triage critical blood products. Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk. 

 

There’s no time to wait — book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 

All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

 

Weather disrupts vital donations

About 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive blood transfusions and who will need to wait.

 

“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”

 

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, servicing 65 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest; 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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