Published by Kirby Winn on Saturday, July 18, 2026 in News Releases
As summer vacations, travel, and packed calendars keep many regular donors from giving blood, ImpactLife joins blood providers across the country in reminding the public that the need for lifesaving donations never takes a season off. While donations often decline during the warmer months, the need for blood remains constant for victims of trauma, surgical patients, those in treatment for cancer, and others who depend on lifesaving blood transfusions.
"Right now, it's the hardest time of year," said Stephen Gates, Director, Blood Drive Partnerships. "People are busy with vacations, travel, and events, and that takes a strain on the blood supply because people have less time to go out and donate blood."
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To thank those who schedule appointments at ImpactLife Donor Centers during this challenging period, the blood center is increasing the value of Donor Rewards from July 20 through August 9 by $20 (gift card or donation value) for whole blood and double red cell donations made at ImpactLife Donor Centers.
To book an appointment for blood donation, call (800) 747-5401, text LIFESAVER to 999-777, or schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org or via the ImpactLife mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app).
Donors who give blood on mobile blood drives will also receive their choice of an electronic gift card, points to use in the ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store, or the opportunity to donate an equivalent value to a nonprofit. Donor Rewards values are based frequency, location, and type of donation (see chart).
Learn about ImpactLife Donor Rewards
Blood cannot be manufactured, making volunteer donors essential to ensuring hospitals have the blood products they need every day.
"You never know when accidents may happen. You never know when cancer might strike somebody," Gates said. "The need for blood is 365 days a year, and you don't know when that supply needs to be available for lives to be saved."
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Gates said increasing public awareness is critical to maintaining a healthy blood supply through peak vacation season of late July into early August.
"A lot of it is just awareness," he said. "People aren't aware that the blood supply goes down during the summer, and that's up to us. We need to get that message out and do a better job helping everyone realize that donations are needed 365 days a year, but during the summer months there's an even greater need."
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Scheduling a donation is simple. Gates encourages anyone who is eligible to find a donation opportunity near them by visiting bloodcenter.org or by calling (800) 747-5401.
Book an Appointment Now!
"They can go to bloodcenter.org and type in their ZIP code to find the blood drive closest to them," Gates said. "It may be a mobile blood drive down the street or a local donor center just a few miles away. There's usually an opportunity, especially during the summer, close to you where you can find that lifesaving opportunity to give blood."
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Every blood donation has the potential to save multiple lives, making each appointment an investment in the health of local patients and the community. Blood donors are encouraged to schedule an today to help ensure lifesaving blood is available whenever and wherever it is needed.
ABOUT IMPACTLIFE
ImpactLife is a nonprofit, independent, community blood center founded in 1974 that provides lifesaving blood products and services to more than 130 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. ImpactLife is one of the top 12 blood providers in the U.S. supporting the needs of patients, hospitals, EMS partners, and medical researchers throughout the country. The blood center's mission is supported by more than 200,000 volunteer blood donations each year. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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CONTACT:
KIRBY WINN
Manager, Public Relations
kwinn@impactlife.org
mobile (563) 349-1571