The American Red Cross is urging donors to help the national blood supply recover from a severe blood shortage.
As a thank-you for helping save lives, all who come to give blood, platelets, or plasma from March 1st-31st, 2026, will also receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card by email. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/March for more details.
In addition, all successful blood donations made in March 2026 will receive free A1C testing, commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes (one result per calendar year). The A1C test does not require fasting and provides an average blood sugar level over the past three months.
This offering returns as new Red Cross data reveals 1 in 5 blood donors have elevated A1C levels; a sign that prediabetes and diabetes are prevalent among adults in generally good health. The findings are based on the first year of free A1C screening offered by the Red Cross, which provided results to more than 920,000 blood donors nationwide over three testing periods in 2025.
Among donors with elevated A1C levels, 80% had readings indicating prediabetes; a condition that can often be reversed through lifestyle changes such as a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Donating blood in March is part of Red Cross Month, a national campaign that encourages people to deliver support when help can’t wait by also making a financial donation, volunteering or taking a lifesaving skills class.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, donors can visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Those who are unable to give blood or platelets are encouraged to consider making a financial donation to support the Red Cross’s lifesaving mission at redcross.org.
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