SOUTH BEND, Ind. - There’s a critical shortage of blood through Indiana. The American Red Cross says every type of blood is at an emergency level. That means there is less than a three day supply of each type. 

“Blood shortages are pretty seasonal, we do typically see a shortage in the summer months,” said Rodney Wilson with American Red Cross.

But this year, the organization hit a critical level earlier than usual.

“We started July with an emergency need for all types. Usually we don’t see that type of need until the end of July,” said Wilson.

Every day, American Red Cross sends out about 550 pints of blood to 80 hospitals across Indiana. With every blood donation, the organization draws one pint. So that means they need at least 550 people to donate blood every day. But with the emergency levels there are now, the organization needs more than 550 a day.

“Part of the problem is that even with all of the people that are giving now, the blood is still immediately going out to hospitals. So we’re just able to meet the need and we’re not able to build the inventory back up so that we can be prepared for a major emergency situation,” said Wilson.  

Donating blood only takes an hour. The needle will be in your arm for only about five minutes.

“Giving blood is so quick and easy. It’s not painful, I know a lot of people are afraid of needles but it’s not a painful process, you do feel a quick pinch as the needle goes in your arm but there’s nothing to be afraid of,” said Wilson.

With the one pint of blood you donate, you could save up to three lives.

“When you’re done, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve literally helped to save someone’s life. That means the world to lots of people, everyone who knows that individual that will receive that blood. It will change so many lives if you can donate blood.”

Starting Wednesday and continuing through the end of August, American Red Cross will give every donor a $5 Target eGiftCard.

Here are some upcoming blood donation opportunities in the area:

Elkhart County

Elkhart

7/28/2017: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 405 W Beardsley

7/31/2017: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Northside Baptist Church, 53198 C.R. 9

8/18/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Elkhart County Criminal Justice Complex - Sheriff's Department, 26861 County Road 26

Goshen

7/25/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

7/26/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

7/28/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

7/29/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

7/31/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/1/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/2/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/4/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/4/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Clinton Frame Church, 63846 CR 35

8/5/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/7/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/8/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/9/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/11/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/11/2017: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Goshen Hospital, 200 High Park Ave.

8/12/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/14/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/15/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/16/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/18/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/19/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/21/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/22/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/23/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds., 17746-D County Road 34

8/23/2017: 12 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/25/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

8/26/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 South Indiana

Middlebury

8/3/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Middlebury Community Public Library, 101 E Winslow

8/21/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Mennonite Church, 203 E. Lawrence

Kosciusko County

Etna Green

7/27/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Camp Creek Church of the Brethren, 7486 N SR 19

Mentone

8/26/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Bell Air Museum, 210 South Oak Street

North Webster

8/22/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., North Webster Church of God, 302 N Main

Pierceton

8/17/2017: 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Paragon, 8 Matchett Industrial Park Drive

Syracuse

8/17/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Calvary United Methodist Church, 801 S Huntington

Warsaw

8/6/2017: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, 744 S. 325 E.

8/8/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Center Lake Pavilion, 117 Canal St.

8/19/2017: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive

LaPorte County

Hanna

8/19/2017: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Hanna United Methodist Church, 101 W. Hopper Street

La Porte

7/25/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 907 Michigan Ave

7/28/2017: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Laporte Hospital, 1007 W. Lincolnway

7/28/2017: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Thomas Rose Industrial Park - BOSS Air, 1761 Genesis Drive

8/2/2017: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 220 Crescent Drive

8/3/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 3 p.m., Wal-mart, 333 Boyd Blvd.

8/14/2017: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Laporte Hospital, 1007 W. Lincolnway

8/14/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Church of God, 2020 East Lincolnway

8/18/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 201 Bach Street

8/23/2017: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Vision Financial Services, 1900 W Severs Road

Michigan City

7/31/2017: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., A.K. Smith Career Center, 817 Lafayette Street

8/1/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. John's United Church of Christ, 101 St. John Road

8/11/2017: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Palko Services, 4991 E US Highway 20

8/22/2017: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., A.K. Smith Career Center, 817 Lafayette Street

8/24/2017: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran, 1237 East Coolspring Ave

Union Mills

7/30/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Conservation Club House, 1 Mill Pond Road

Wanatah

7/29/2017: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 204 N. Ohio Street

Westville

8/3/2017: 8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., United Parcel Service Westville, 860 W. Main Street

Marshall County

Bremen

7/26/2017: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., St. Isidore Hall, 803 W. Bike St.

Culver

8/24/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Culver High School, 701 School St.

Lapaz

8/26/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cornerstone Community Fellowship Church, 1375 Maple Road

Plymouth

7/27/2017: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 901 East Jefferson St.

St. Joseph County

Mishawaka

7/28/2017: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Culver's Mishawaka, 5220 N Main Street

South Bend

8/2/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Midwest Eye Consultants, 220 N Ironwood Drive

Starke County

Hamlet

8/22/2017: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Oregon Davis High School, 5990 North 750 East

Knox

7/28/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., VFW Post 748, 1511 South Heaton Street

8/8/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knox Community Center, 55 East Lake Street

North Judson

8/10/2017: 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., St. Peter Lutheran Church, 810 W. Talmer Ave