DENVER (KDVR) — The American Red Cross has been operating in Colorado for over 100 years, but it has never been able to do one very noteworthy and important thing: Collect blood.
According to the organization, it collects approximately 40% of the nation’s supply of blood, but it has never been able to collect it in Colorado.
Until 2024, that is.
Colorado returned around $700 per person in unclaimed funds in 2023
The organization told FOX31 that blood donation opportunities will be coming to the Denver metro area this year, specifically in the spring.
Why the Red Cross hasn’t been able to collect
A spokesperson for the organization explained to FOX31 that the infrastructure had never been there for blood collection in Colorado or its northern neighbor Wyoming.
For one, its Denver location is not zoned properly for collecting blood.
There is currently an ongoing nationwide shortage of blood. The American Red Cross said the nation faces the lowest number of people donating blood in 20 years.