Blood donations help ensure new parents, cancer patients and trauma and accident victims have access to safe, lifesaving blood. The community is invited to help save lives by giving blood on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plaza Village - North Chalet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway located at 4790 West 16^th Street.

To make an appointment, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code “indycar.”

Donors who register in advance will receive a free admission pass and will be contacted in advance to pick up their pass by Thursday, May 7, at the Red Cross building located at 1510 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis. Presenting donors will receive a garage pass and a pit pass valid after their donation appointment.

May is Trauma Awareness Month. While no one can predict when a trauma will happen, donors can help ensure hospitals have necessary blood products on hand the moment an injured patient arrives. A person involved in a car accident may need as many as 100 units of blood. Blood can take up to three days to be tested, processed and made available to patients, so it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives during an emergency.

Those who come to give blood May 1-17, 2026, will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card by email, thanks to Amazon. Brighten your day by grabbing some summer swag. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Amazon.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can 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, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross Indiana Region:
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its chapters: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @indianaredcross.