Where To Donate Blood In Pennsylvania Amid Coronavirus Crisis

Max Bennett
Updated ·8 min read

The U.S. blood supply is facing a unique and unprecedented shortage in the wake of the ongoing new coronavirus pandemic. Donations from healthy people in Pennsylvania and other communities are needed now more than ever to avoid another health care crisis, according to two of the nation’s leading blood banks.

Why is it unprecedented? Unlike most crises, which tend to impact the blood supply in specific cities or regions, the coronavirus outbreak is affecting the supply for the entire nation.

In March, the American Red Cross said more than 2,500 blood drives were canceled nationwide because of concerns about gathering in groups at workplaces, colleges and schools. The organization also estimates the cancellations resulted in 86,000 fewer blood donations.

Despite fear over donating blood amid the coronavirus pandemic, it remains safe to do so, according to America’s Blood Centers, whose facilities — in addition to those operated by the Red Cross — are implementing increased social distancing measures and infection control protocols.

Here’s where you can schedule an appointment to donate blood in Pennsylvania:

  • Miller-Keystone Blood Center – Lionville/Exton, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1105 E. Lincoln Highway, Exton PA 19341. Make an appointment here.

  • Miller-Keystone Blood Center – Quakertown, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 102 North Hellertown Avenue, Quakertown PA 18951. Make an appointment here.

  • Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr — 480 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Monday, April 20

  • St. Thomas of Villanova — 1229 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Tuesday, April 21

  • St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church — 372 Highland Lane, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Thursday, April 30

  • Church of the Redeemer, 230 Pennswood Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Friday, May 8

  • Haverford Township Community Center — 9000 Parkview Drive, Haverford, PA 19041, Monday, May 18

  • Radnor Corporate Center — 100 Matsonford Road, Building 4, Radnor, PA 19087, Tuesday, April 21

  • St. David's Episcopal Church — 763 Valley Forge Road South, Wayne, PA 19087, Tuesday, April 21

  • Carol H. Axelrod Memorial Drive at Radnor Township Building — 301 Iven Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087, Tuesday, May 5

  • Main Line Health — 240 Radnor Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087, Wednesday, May 20

  • St. George's Episcopal Church — 1 W. Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, Monday, April 27

  • Brandywine Realty Trust — 101 W. Elm Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428, Wednesday, May 6

  • AmerisourceBergen — 227 Washington Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428, Thursday, May 14

  • St. Paul's Lutheran Church — 415 E. Athens Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, Monday, May 18

  • St. Luke Lutheran Church —203 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA 19333, Monday, April 20

  • Temple Brith Achim — 481 S. Gulph Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, Thursday, May 7

  • Hope Community Church — 150 E. Beidler Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, Saturday, May 16

  • MED Risk — 2701 Renaissance Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406, Tuesday, May 19

  • Children's Hospital — 550 S. Goddard Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406, Tuesday, May 19

  • Perspecta — 720 Vandenburg Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, Thursday, May 21

  • Trinity Lutheran Church — 1141 West Chester Pike, Havertown, PA 19083, Saturday, April 25

  • Nolan Painting, Inc. — 181 W. Hillcrest Avenue, Havertown, PA 19083, Monday, May 11

  • Main Line Reform Temple — 410 Montgomery Avenue, Wynnewood, PA 19096, Monday, May 11

  • Lankenau Medical Center — 100 Lancaster Avenue, Wynnewood, PA 19096, Thursday, May 14

  • Narberth Presbyterian Church — 205 Grayling Avenue, Narberth, PA 19072, Thursday, April 16

  • Upper Main Line YMCA — 1416 Berwyn-Paoli Road, Berwyn, PA 19312, Monday, April 27

  • St. Teresa of Avila Roman Catholic Church — 2550 S. Parkview Drive, Norristown, PA 19407, Wednesday, April 29

  • Newtown Township Building — 209 Bishop Hollow Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Tuesday, May 12

  • Trinity Health — 3805 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Wednesday, May 20

  • Messiah United Methodist Church — 527 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444, Tuesday, April 21

  • Congregation Or Ami — 708 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444, Tuesday, May 5

  • St. Philip Neri School — 3015 Chestnut Street, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444, Thursday, May 7

  • Church on the Mall — 500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, Monday, April 20

  • Roxborough YMCA — 7201 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19128, Tuesday, April 28

  • Green Woods Charter School — 468 Domino Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19128, Tuesday, May 12

  • Fire For Effect Athletics — 123 Leverington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19127, Thursday, April 23

  • CrossFit Montco — 2915 Hannah Avenue, Norristown, PA 19401, Saturday, May 16

  • Church of the Good Samaritan — 212 W. Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301, Monday, April 27

  • Covenant United Methodist Church — 212 West Springfield Road, Springfield, PA 19064, Thursday, April 16

  • Dunkin Donuts — 100 Baltimore Pike, Springfield, PA 19064, Sunday, May 3

  • The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill — 8855 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, Tuesday, April 14

  • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Rowland Hall — 4190 City Line Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, Tuesday, May 19

  • Metropolitan Veterinary Associates — 2626 Van Buren Avenue, Norristown, PA 19403, Monday, April 27

  • St. Titus Roman Catholic Church — 3006 Keenwood Road, Norristown, PA 19403, Wednesday, May 6

  • Masonic Lodge 620 — 2589 W. Township Line Road, Norristown, PA 19403, Saturday, May 9

  • Norristown High School — 1900 Eagle Road, Norristown, PA 19403, Monday, May 11

  • Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks — 100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456, Tuesday, April 21

  • Oaks Elementary School — 325 Oaks School Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, Tuesday, April 28

  • Green Tree Church of the Brethren — 1078 Egypt Road, Oaks, PA 19456, Thursday, May 7

  • Hampton Inn & Suites — 100 Cresson Boulevard, Oaks, PA 19456, Monday, May 11

  • First Presbyterian Church — 140 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050, Monday, April 6

  • St. Philomena Roman Catholic Church — 24 N. Wycombe Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050, Saturday, April 25

  • Ridley Area YMCA — 900 South Avenue, Secane, PA 19018, Friday, April 24

  • Holy Spirit Lutheran Church — 2545 Franklin Avenue, Secane, PA 19018, Monday, May 4

  • True Light Fellowship Church — 6400 Ardleigh Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119, Saturday, May 9

  • Germantown Jewish Centre — 400 W. Ellet Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119, Sunday, May 17

  • Clifton Heights Boro Hall — 30 S. Springfield Road, Clifton Heights, PA 19018, Thursday, May 21

  • VFW Post 3460 — 11 Hilltop Road, Media, PA 19063, Wednesday, April 15

  • Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County — 145 West Rose Tree Road, Media, PA 19063, Tuesday, April 21

  • South Media Fire Company — 535 Washington Avenue, Media, PA 19063, Wednesday, May 13

  • Delaware County Bar Association — 335 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063, Tuesday, May 19

  • Montgomery County Community College College Hall — 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, Wednesday, April 15

  • Normandy Farms Estates — 9000 Twin Silo Drive, Blue Bell, PA 19422, Friday, May 22

  • Pennsylvania School for the Deaf — 100 W. School House Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144, Tuesday, May 12

  • Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital — 1500 Lansdowne Avenue, Darby, PA 19023, Wednesday, May 20

  • Malvern Preparatory School O'Neill Center — 418 S. Warren Avenue, Malvern, PA 19355, Tuesday, April 14

  • Ridley Creekside Center — 794 Milmont Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Wednesday, May 6

  • Notre Dame DeLourdes Church — 1000 Fairview Road, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Friday, May 8

  • East Whiteland Township Municipal Building — 209 Conestoga Road, Frazer, PA 19355, Tuesday, May 19

  • Allstate Insurance Group — 1200 Atwater Road, Malvern, PA 19355, Tuesday, May 19

  • University of PA Penn Newman Center — 111 South 38th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Friday, April 24

  • Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine — 3400 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, Wednesday, May 6

  • St. Raymond's Penafort Church — 1350 Vernon Road, Philadelphia, PA 19150, Thursday, May 7

  • City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health University — 321 S. University Avenue (University Ave & Currie Blvd), Philadelphia, PA 19104, Friday, May 8

  • Corporal Michael Crescenz VA Medical Center — 3900 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Friday, May 15

  • American Red Cross Eastern PA — 2221 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Tuesday, April 7

  • Phoenixville YMCA — 400 E. Pothouse Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460, Friday, April 10

  • Tenth Presbyterian Church — 1701 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Wednesday, April 15

  • Kimmel Center — 300 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, Friday, April 17

  • St. Monica's Senior School — 16th and Porter Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19145, Wednesday, April 22

  • Thornbury Township Building — 6 Township Drive, Cheyney, PA 19319, Thursday, April 23

  • St. Edmond's Roman Catholic Church — 2130 S. 21st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, Monday, April 27

  • VFW Post 676 North Penn — 2519 Jenkintown Road, Glenside, PA 19038, Tuesday, April 28

  • 2116 Chestnut Street — 2116 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Thursday, May 7

  • One Penn Center — 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Wednesday, May 13

  • Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. — 7050 Camp Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA 19034, Thursday, May 21

  • Temple Sinai — 1401 Limekiln Pike, Dresher, PA 19025, Thursday, May 21

  • New Life Presbyterian Church of Dresher — 2015 S. Limekiln Pike, Dresher, PA 19025, Friday, May 22

Here’s what else we know about donating blood in the time of the new coronavirus, according to the Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers:

  • Blood donation occurs in a controlled environment with trained staff, and is recognized as an essential activity amid stay-at-home orders.

  • Blood donation is not considered a mass gathering or a social event, but donors are asked to make appointments to donate blood in advance to assist with social distancing efforts at blood centers.

  • At America’s Blood Centers, each donor goes through a mini physical that includes a temperature check. Those donating at a Red Cross event are also checked for increased temperature.

  • There is no known risk of transmitting the coronavirus through blood transfusion, even if individuals are asymptomatic.

  • You cannot get tested for the coronavirus at a blood donation center.

  • You can donate blood every eight weeks (or 56 days) and apheresis platelets every seven days up to 24 times per year.

America’s Blood Centers encourages all healthy and eligible people who are feeling well to consider donating blood. Do not donate blood if you are feeling ill, have the coronavirus or have been in contact with anyone who may potentially have the coronavirus.

The Red Cross also said you should not donate within 28 days of traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Iran, Italy and South Korea.

If you have questions about whether you are eligible to donate, the best thing to do is contact your local blood center.

This article originally appeared on the Radnor Patch