Red Cross issues blood crisis as New Hampshire donation slots go unfilled

The Red Cross has multiple drives scheduled across New Hampshire in the coming days.

The Red Cross says the country is facing only its second blood crisis declaration as summer shortages tighten the supply and hospitals continue drawing down available units faster than donations are coming in.

In New Hampshire, 47% of blood donation appointments over the next two weeks are still open, a sign officials say shows how sharply the need has outgrown the current schedule of donors. Regional Communications Director Jennifer Costa said the situation is unlike what the organization typically sees and noted that donation levels have dropped to a four-year summer low, matching conditions last seen during the height of COVID.

Type O blood is especially critical, since it is frequently used in emergencies when medical teams do not have time to determine a patient’s blood type. The Red Cross says all blood types are needed.

American Medical Response also says the shortage affects patient care well beyond disaster situations. Northeast Regional Director Chris Stawasz said a single pint can help as many as three patients, and he said blood is too limited and short-lived for ambulances to stock it routinely. He said it remains essential in trauma care and in many ordinary surgeries, adding that its shelf life is about 35 days when stored correctly.

People who are eligible can make an appointment through RedCrossBlood.org. The Red Cross has multiple drives scheduled across New Hampshire in the coming days.

Belknap County

Alton

8/6/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Saint Katharine Drexel Church, 40 Hidden Springs Road

Laconia

8/7/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Woodside Building, 227 Ledges Drive

8/12/2026: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Concord Hospital, 80 Highland St.

8/14/2026: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Weirs Community Center, 25 Lucerne Ave.

Carroll County

Conway

8/11/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Conway Humane Society, 223 E Main St.

Freedom

8/10/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Danforth Bay Resort Freedom, 196 Shawtown Road

North Conway

8/7/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., North Conway Community Center, 78 Norcross Circle

Wolfeboro

8/5/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Wolfeboro Inn, 90 N Main St. 8/14/2026: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Huggins Hospital, 240 South Main St.

Cheshire County

Keene

8/3/2026: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Best Western Plus, 401 Winchester St.

8/8/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Monadnock Covenant Church, 90 Base Hill Road

Rindge

8/3/2026: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Cathedral of the Pines, 10 Hale Hill Road

Walpole

8/11/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Alyson's Orchard, 57 Alyson's Lane

Coos County

Whitefield

8/10/2026: 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Summit by Morrison, 56 Summit Drive

Grafton County

Canaan

8/3/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., St. Mary's Church, 1157 Route 4

Lebanon

8/5/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, 23 Alice Peck Day Drive

8/12/2026: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Legion Post 22, 189 Mechanic St.

8/14/2026: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Courtyard Hanover Lebanon, 10 Morgan Drive

Lisbon

8/12/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., New England Wire, 145 N Main St.

Littleton

8/6/2026: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Elks Lodge #1831, 42 Bethlehem Road

Plymouth

8/4/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Speare Memorial Hospital, 103 Boulder Point Drive

8/12/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Common Man Inn, 231 Main St.

Waterville Valley

8/15/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Waterville Valley Recreation Dept, 11 Noon Peak Road

Hillsborough County

Hudson

8/12/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., White Birch Banquet Hall, 222 Central St.

Manchester

8/4/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Elliot at River's Edge, 185 Queen City Ave.

8/7/2026: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Catholic Medical Center, 100 McGregor St.

8/12/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Eversource, 780 N Commercial St.

Nashua

8/6/2026: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sheraton Nashua, 11 Tara Blvd.

8/15/2026: 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 110 Concord St.

Merrimack County

Boscawen

8/11/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Alan's of Boscawen Restaurant, 133 North Main St. (Rte3)

Concord

8/3/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., NH Department of Transportation, 7 Hazen Drive

8/5/2026: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., NH Audubon McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road

8/8/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Concord Red Cross Office, 2 Maitland St.

8/14/2026: 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Concord Red Cross Office, 2 Maitland St.

Contoocook

8/11/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Contoocook American Legion, 169 Bound Tree Road

New London

8/11/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., New London Hospital, 273 County Road

Pembroke

8/12/2026: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Christ Church PCA, 146 Sheep Davis Road

Warner

8/7/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., United Church of Warner, 43 East Main St.

Rockingham County Derry

8/7/2026: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., The Zoo Health Club Derry, 35 Manchester Road Epping

8/4/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Epping High School, 33 Prescott Road Hampton

8/12/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 289 Lafayette Road Kingston

8/13/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., First Congregational Church, 6 Church St.

Londonderry

8/4/2026: 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Orchard Christian Fellowship, 136 Pillsbury Road

Plaistow

8/4/2026: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Plaistow Community YMCA - Red Court, 175 Plaistow Road

8/14/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Vic Geary Drop In Center, 18 Greenough Road

Portsmouth

8/5/2026: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Senior Activity Center, 125 Cottage St.

8/7/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Piscataqua Savings Bank, 200 Griffin Road Unit 10

8/11/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Community Campus, 100 Campus Drive

8/14/2026: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Charles L. Thayer Building, 100 Eileen Dondero Foley Ave.

Raymond

8/7/2026: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Raymond Baptist Church, 145 Route 27

Salem

8/13/2026: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bishop Peterson Hall, 37 Main St.

Seabrook

8/3/2026: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Trinity United Church Parish House, 29 Main St.

Stratham

8/10/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Honda Stratham, 34 Portsmouth Ave.

Windham

8/13/2026: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. Matthew Church, 2 Searles Road

Strafford County

Dover

8/4/2026: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Mary Church, 25 Chestnut St.

8/6/2026: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Bill Dube Ford/Toyota, 40 Dover Point Road

8/8/2026: 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Praxeum, 97 Piscataqua Road

8/13/2026: 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Dover Baptist Church, 151 Washington St.

8/14/2026: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Johns United Methodist Church, 28 Cataract Ave.

Durham

8/15/2026: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Oyster River Middle School, 1 Coe Drive

Milton

8/15/2026: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Restoration Church, 370 White Mountain Highway

Rochester

8/4/2026: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Rochester Elks Lodge, 295 Columbus Ave.

8/10/2026: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Saint Mary Church, 71 Lowell St.

Sullivan County

Claremont

8/3/2026: 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Claremont Senior Center, 5 Acer Heights Road

Newport

8/13/2026: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Sugar River Bank, 10 North Main St.