Pasadena Convention Center Blood Drive Sunday Falls Amid National Red Cross Crisis

A blood drive operating from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St., will be one of three that the International WeLoveU Foundation and the American Red Cross are holding in the area on August 23.

The Pasadena drive falls during only the second national blood supply crisis the Red Cross has declared. The organization said on July 27 that donations had fallen to a four-year summer low and that it had begun limiting shipments of type O blood to hospitals.

Organizers are aiming for at least 300 donors at the Pasadena drive and will accept walk-ins. Hundreds of appointments had already been booked as of this week, officials reported.

There is no cost to donate. Donors are encouraged to register in advance, should bring valid photo identification and must meet standard donation eligibility requirements. Parking is available in the Convention Center structure and nearby public garages, with daily rates generally starting at $15.

The Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood. Type O accounts for roughly 60% of what it distributes, and type O positive can be given safely to about 80% of patients. At the July declaration the organization had less than a one-day national supply of type O positive.

“Blood donations simply are not keeping pace with hospital demand,” Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in the announcement. The organization says three more donors at each drive this summer would stabilize the supply.

The Red Cross attributes this summer’s decline to extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses, set against higher hospital demand during the trauma season.

The WeLoveU Foundation, founded in 2001, runs blood drives as part of a campaign it calls the Worldwide One-Two Blood Drive, according to the organization. It held a Pasadena drive at a hotel in September 2025 and reported collecting 221 units there.

Donors “making a decision that could save a stranger’s life within hours,” Jessica Amaya, a program manager with the foundation, told the Los Angeles Daily News.

Appointments can be made at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. The foundation can be reached at 845-245-4300 or at weloveuusa.org. The Red Cross says donors who give during August receive a $20 Amazon gift card by email.