Red Cross Urges Blood Donations Among 'Critical' Shortage, Offers Super Bowl Tickets
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The American Red Cross Tuesday announced that blood donors would be automatically entered in a raffle to win Super Bowl tickets as the blood supply around the country and in Los Angeles remains dangerously low.
According to the organization, the pandemic has played a role in the shortage — causing a 10% decline in the number of people donating blood and a 62% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges.
"Our inventory is at crisis levels," said Raahima Shoaib Yazdani, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross' Los Angeles Region. "Right now, doctors are being forced to decide which patients receive blood transfusions and who must wait."
Anyone who donates in January will automatically be entered to win two tickets to Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Other prizes in the drawing include entry to the official NFL Tailgate, tickets to Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 11-14) and a $500 gift card for expenses.
Donors will also be automatically entered to win a "Big Game at Home" home-theater package and a $500 e-gift card for game-day food.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross will hold a job fair on Wednesday at 376 W. Huntington Drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to help fill spots on its mobile phlebotomist team to help operate blood drives.
Appointments are available on the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)