KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The American Red Cross encourages individuals and organizations to give something that means something this winter by making a lifesaving blood donation or hosting a blood drive.

Blood donations often decline from now to New Year’s Day when holiday festivities pull people away from their donation appointments. Seasonal illnesses, such as colds and the flu, can also have a serious impact on blood donations.

In addition, there are fewer blood drives during the winter months when many hosting organizations postpone drives while people are traveling for the holidays. Severe winter weather may also cause scheduled blood drives to be canceled.

Despite the busy holiday season and threat of extreme freezing weather, the need for blood remains steady. Organizations can help by hosting a blood drive during the winter months, and eligible donors are encouraged to make an appointment to give blood. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood.

Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more about hosting a blood drive. To make an appointment to donate blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call (800) 433-2767. Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations.

Upcoming area blood donations opportunities are:

Elkhart County

Elkhart — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 30, Wal-Mart Supercenter, 30830 Old US 20; 1:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Dec. 7, Northside Baptist Church, 53198 CR 9

Goshen — 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 16, First Baptist Church, 1011 S. Indiana Ave.; noon-6 p.m. Believers Fellowship Church, 60781 SR 13; 1-6 p.m. Nov. 18, Pleasant View Mennonite Church, 58529 CR 23; 2:30-7 p.m. Nov. 19, Faith United Methodist Church, 22045 CR 18; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 20, IU Health Goshen Hospital, 200 High Park Ave.; noon-6 p.m. Clinton Frame Mennonite Church, 63846 CR 35

New Paris — 1-6 p.m. Nov. 17, Sunnyside Park, 68546 S. Clinton.

Kosciusko County

Etna Green — noon-5 p.m. Nov. 18, Camp Creek Church of the Brethren, 7486 N. SR 19

Syracuse — noon-6 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church, 801 S. Huntington

Warsaw — 9-1 p.m. Nov. 21, YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive; 3-7 p.m. Nov. 27, Dominos Pizza, 202 N. Detroit St.; noon-6 p.m. Dec. 8, Center Lake Pavilion, 117 Canal St.; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 11, Lake City University People Development Center, 109 S. Buffalo; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 19, Lowe’s 2495 Jalynn St.

Marshall County

Bremen — 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 24, Bremen High School, 511 W. Grant St.; 2-6 p.m. Dec. 4, Bremen Elementary Middle School, 700 W. South St.; 2-6 p.m. Southwire, 515 Copperfield Way.

Donaldson — 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 19, Ancilla College, 9601 S. Union

Plymouth — 12:30 -6 p.m. Nov. 19, Washington Discovery Academy, 1500 Lake Ave; 7-11 a.m. Dec. 11, NIPSCO, 724 Hoham Drive; 1:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 17, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office/Jail, 1400 N. Pioneer Drive.

Individuals may also donate blood at these times and dates at the Goshen Blood Donation Center, 1123 S. Indiana: noon-5:30 p.m. Nov. 16-18, 23-25, 30, Dec. 1-2, 7-9, 14-16; 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nov. 20-21, 27-28, Dec. 4-5, 12, and 18-19.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

To find other times and locations visit redcrossblood.org/drive.