Donate Blood, Get a $20 Amazon Gift Card From the Red Cross

The American Red Cross is urgently calling for blood donors (especially those who have type O blood), across the U.S. We already know that donating blood is a great way to help others, but the American Red Cross is sweetening the deal with a free Amazon gift card.

Anyone who donates blood, platelets, or AB Elite plasma from Aug. 1 - 31 will receive a $20 Amazon gift card by email.

Don't sleep on this one — $20 is the high end of what the Red Cross has offered this year, and the window closes Aug. 31, so use the American Red Cross appointment finder to book your donation ASAP. First time platelet donors get $30, and all donors can earn points toward gift cards and merch.

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Get a free $20 Amazon gift card when you donate blood in August.

Donate blood, platelets, or AB Elite plasma (for people who have AB blood) through the American Red Cross from Aug. 1 - 31, and you’ll get a free $20 Amazon gift card by email.

After you've donated, your gift card will be sent to the email address associated with your American Red Cross donor profile, typically within 30 days of your donation.

The Red Cross offers blood donors a free gift card almost every month.

Almost every month you can count on the American Red Cross to offer a gift card (the amount varies) for blood donations. Here's a look at what they've offered this year.

• Jan. 26 - Feb. 28: $20 gift card

• March 1 - 31: $15 Amazon gift card

• April 13 - 30: $15 gift card to the merchant of your choice

• May 1 - 17: $20 Amazon gift card

• June 1 - 28: $15 eGift card to the merchant of your choice and an entry to win one of two $7,500 gift cards

Donate platelets and you'll receive a gift from the Red Cross.

According to the American Red Cross, every 15 seconds someone needs platelets. Luckily, unlike blood donations, which can only be made every 56 days, you can donate platelets every seven days. If you're interested in donating platelets, you'll have a chance to get a gift. First-time platelet donors will get a $30 Amazon gift card. Plus, here are the upcoming gift offers you can grab.

• Aug. 1-15: American Red Cross Platelet Donor clear mini backpack

• Aug. 1-31: $20 Amazon gift card (each time you give)

• Aug. 16-31: Up to 400 extra points for the Donor Rewards program

• Sept. 1-20: Exclusive Red Cross × Hello Kitty collectible item, while supplies last.

• Sept. 21–30: Mention "pickleball" when you give platelets to score a Red Cross pickleball paddle and ball, while supplies last.

• Sept. 21-Oct. 18: $15 eGift card to the merchant of your choice

Earn points toward more free stuff with Red Cross Donor Rewards.

Every time you give, you'll earn at least 100 points per donation. How many donations you can earn points on depends on the type and how often you can safely give in a 365-day period: five for blood, three for Power Red, 13 for AB Elite plasma, and 24 for platelets.

You've got two ways to cash those points in:

Gift cards. You can redeem up to ten $10 eGift cards throughout the year — that's up to $100 on top of whatever the monthly promo is paying. Gift cards run 500 points each.

Red Cross merch. You can also bank your points for one exclusive Red Cross item when the merch store opens in January 2027. Here's what's coming and what it'll run you:

• Beanie: 400 points

• Bento box: 800 points

• Crewneck sweatshirt: 1,200 points

• Tote bag: 2,400 points

Do the math and you'll spot the catch: giving whole blood five times a year gets you at least 500 points across five donations — one $10 gift card, or, come January, a beanie. Platelets top out at 24 donations, which is at least 2,400 points, or a tote bag in a single year.

Once you create a Red Cross donor profile, you can check your rewards balance and make sure the email they have on file for you is correct, since that's where your rewards get sent.

Ready to book? Here's what to know before you go — for any donation type.

How to schedule your American Red Cross donation.

Visit the American Red Cross website and enter your zip code to find nearby blood drives and donation centers. You can also schedule and manage appointments track your donation history, and follow your blood's journey after your donation through the free Blood Donor app.

Who can donate?

In most states, blood donors must be at least 17 years old, although some states permit 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent. Whole-blood donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health and feeling well on the day of their appointment.

Note, eligibility can vary based on your age, health history, medications, recent travel, and the type of donation. That's why you should read the current American Red Cross eligibility requirements before scheduling your appointment.

How long does it take to donate?

The actual blood donation usually takes about eight to 10 minutes, but you should plan on spending about an hour at the donation center from start to finish. Platelet appointments run longer (closer to two to three hours).

The process generally includes:

• Registration and identification

• A confidential health-history questionnaire

• A brief health check

• Snacks and refreshments afterward

You can skip the paperwork line and save time by completing your RapidPass on the day of your appointment before arriving.

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