Red Cross blood drives held in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WXXV) — The American Red Cross is holding multiple blood drives across the coast over the next two weeks in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina.

People were in and out of Central Bible Church, donating their blood and time to help save lives on Tuesday. This is all in remembrance of the category 5 storm that devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast nearly 20 years ago.

Denise Smith with the Red Cross says the blood drives started right after Katrina, helping those in need during that time. Twenty years later, they have continued.

The series of blood drives kicked off in Bay St. Louis, but they will span across Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties over this week and next because these were the areas most affected by the storm.

Those who participate in the blood drives will receive a free t-shirt, a $15 gift card, and a free A1C testing, which will give valuable insights into the donor’s blood sugar levels. But, the biggest incentive to donating blood is knowing that you are not only giving back to your community, but also to communities elsewhere.

If you would like to donate blood, visit RedCrossBlood.org and type “Katrina” in the search bar for a list of  locations and times. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment online before arriving at the blood drive.