September 4 is Blood Donation Day

Posted: Sep 4, 2020 / 12:00 PM EDT / Updated: Sep 4, 2020 / 12:02 PM EDT

In this April 22, 2020 photo provided by New York Blood Center Enterprises, Aubrie Cresswell, 24, donates convalescent plasma at the Blood Bank of Delmarva Christiana Donor Center in suburban Newark, Delaware. “It’s, I think, our job as humans to step forward and help in society,” said Cresswell who has donated three times and counting. One donation was shipped to a hospitalized friend of a friend, and “it brought me to tears. I was like, overwhelmed with it just because the family was really thankful.” (New York Blood Center Enterprises via AP)

MONTPELIER, Vt. (NEWS10) — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott declared Friday, September 4 “Blood Donation Day.”

Scott’s declaration makes Vermont the 30th state in the country to proclaim September 4 their State Blood Donation Day, and/or September 1 to 7 as Blood Donation Week. Governors across the country—including in Massachusettes, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine—declared the day in an effort to help combat a blood shortage crisis.

Drives at the American Red Cross are on across the country, COVID pandemic measures in place to keep donors safe. According to Scott’s executive proclamation, one blood donation can help up to three patients, and only 10% of the population give blood, even though 36% are eligible to do so.

September is also National Preparedness Month.

Take a look at Gov. Scott’s August 26 proclamation below: