LifeSouth facing emergency need for blood donors, hosting collection drives

Summer months take a toll on the blood supply, LifeSouth says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Summer months take a toll on the blood supply, and this year has been especially difficult in Northeast Florida, including Duval County, and across the country, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers said. 

"Our peak demographic is 18 to 25, so when people go to school or go on vacation, those blood donations go missing from what we normally have," said Karen Patterson, community development coordinator for LifeSouth of Jacksonville.

As blood shortages affect blood centers across the country, LifeSouth faces an emergency need for all blood types and asks community members to donate blood to ensure area hospitals have blood available for patients before it is needed. 

"Currently, we're in emergency need and that means there's less than a two-day supply of blood on our local hospital shelves," Patterson said Thursday.  "We're in need of all blood types, so if you don't know your blood type, that's fine. Come on down and we'll find out what it is. If you happen to know your blood type and you're O negative, we would really love to see you because you're the universal blood donor." 

LifeSouth has two donor centers in Jacksonville at:

  • 7840 Baymeadows Way
  • 800 Prudential Drive (inside Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville)

LifeSouth’s bloodmobiles will also be out at many locations this month. Below is a list of upcoming blood drives: 

DateLocationCityTime
July 23Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville - Prudential DriveJacksonville6 a.m.-7 p.m.
July 23Nassau County Tax Collector - License RoadYulee10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
July 24Winn-Dixie - Chaffee RoadJacksonville2 p.m.-8 p.m.
July 24Best Buy - Atlantic BoulevardJacksonville1:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
July 25Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.Jacksonville10 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 25Publix - San Jose BoulevardJacksonville4 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
July 25Winn Dixie - Fort CarolineJacksonville11 a.m.-6 p.m.
July 26CDA Technical Institute - Trout River DriveJacksonville9 a.m.-6 p.m.
July 27Walmart - 13490 Beach Blvd.Jacksonville11 a.m.-5 p.m.
July 27God's Bridge Lamb of God MinistryCallahan2 p.m.-7 p.m.
July 28Walmart - Blanding BoulevardOrange Park11 a.m.-5 p.m.
July 28PETCO - 463713 State RoadYulee9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
July 29Planet Fitness - Old St. Augustine RoadJacksonville2 p.m.-8 p.m.
July 29Walmart - East State Road 200Yulee1 p.m.-7 p.m.
July 30Cecil Pines - Lake Cove AvenueJacksonville10 a.m.-2 p.m.
July 30Pet Supermarket - Collins RoadJacksonville3 p.m.-7 p.m.
July 30Winn Dixie - OceanwayJacksonville1:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
July 31Publix Super Market at Deerwood Village SCJacksonville2 p.m.-7 p.m.
July 31Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital - University Boulevard SouthJacksonville9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
July 31Lucky's Market - Atlantic BoulevardNeptune Beach10 a.m.-6 p.m.


Donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is needed. Before giving blood, donors are advised to drink lots of water, eat a good meal and be well rested. 

All donors receive a thank-you gift and a mini-physical.

"You could be giving somebody another birthday, another Christmas, another football season, so please take the time to come and see us," Patterson said.

For more information, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707 or visit www.lifesouth.org. Donors can make an appointment online and walk-ins are also welcome.