The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is giving donors a chance to get an H-E-B gift card worth up to $150 this holiday season.

On Monday, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is giving away free tickets to Wednesday night's Spurs game to donors who donate blood at the Frost Bank Center.

South Texas Blood & Tissue is hosting a Get in the Game Giveaway from Sept. 15-30.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is encouraging people to donate on Friday for World Blood Donor Day to offset a 25% drop in local donations.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is partnering with Bonham Exchange for a blood drive this Tuesday.

The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is honoring the victims of the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde nearly two years ago with a “United for Uvalde” shirt.

San Antonio City Council members will soon begin their annual competition to see which district collects the most blood donations.

The total solar eclipse is bringing thousands and thousands of people to smaller communities like those in the hill country. That increases the number of potential accidents or traumatic injuries, and medical centers want to be ready.

Spring Break is on the horizon, and South Texas Blood & Tissue is offering the opportunity for some to “get away” if they give away blood or platelets for the first time.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is currently at a two-day blood supply. They hope to raise the supply through their Commit 4 Compassion challenge.

The holiday season brings a desperate need for blood donations at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STBTC).

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is urging donors of all blood types, especially those with Type O, to give blood as the holiday season has made it challenging to meet patients’ needs.

The Explains team takes you inside labs at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center to show you how blood is ‘manufactured’

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is hosting a Labor Day blood drive in an effort to kick blood shortages and celebrate childhood cancer awareness month.

Baptist Health System staff are participating in a blood drive challenge to encourage others to donate.

The San Antonio community has seen a decline in the blood supply over the last few weeks. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center needs your help.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this month that it was dropping restrictions that have kept gay and bisexual men on the sidelines for years. The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center hopes the new FDA guidelines will bring in new donors.

April is National Donate Life Month and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is working to explain how signing up to be an organ donor can help so many people around the country.

The FDA is proposing easing blood donor restrictions for homosexual and bisexual men.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is urging the public to donate blood and platelets to support patients in the community.

There is a consistent need for blood donations in and around our community. We have seen people step up and help, but the need persists. Roger Ruiz with South Texas Blood and tissue Center joined Leading SA this weekend to talk about the need and how you can help.

If you want free tickets to see the San Antonio Spurs, it’s as easy as giving a blood donation.

Hurricane Ian is tearing through the southwest coast of Florida after making landfall Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm.

Using revised FDA guidelines, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center reports it is notifying about 200 donors for retesting after they initially had false positive results.

In addition to blood donors, the blood center is asking for platelet donors.

A community blood drive is taking place on Monday as the desperate need for blood donations continues.

It’s the ninth donor center location for the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center that serves more than 100 hospitals in 48 counties.

Community members are stepping up and helping the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, but they say they still are not at the level of donations they would prefer to be at.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has seen an outpouring of support for the Uvalde community after a deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.

For blood donors at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde hit home.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is in critical need of blood donations following a mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school.

The need for blood donations in South Texas is critical.

A nurse at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center donated bone marrow to a girl in need in London 18 years ago. Now the two are bonded for life.

Hundreds

It’s the season of giving and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center needs your help.

The critical blood shortage worldwide has been dragging on for over a year, now the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is suggesting donor restrictions should be eased further.

While the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is always looking for more people to donate blood, they find themselves more in need around the holidays.

A San Antonio mother is hoping sharing her story will encourage others to be blood donors.

Platelets and Type O donations are needed most, but all blood donations are welcome.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center continues to face a blood shortage as the demand grows.

June 14, 2021, marks World Blood Donor Day and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is inviting the community to donate blood.

San Antonio hospital leaders held a press conference at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center Wednesday morning to address the need for blood donations.

Shortage of blood donations hits home for Windcrest community. Local church and fire department are hosting a blood drive Sunday to help patients in need.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center says they need at least 200 more blood donations a day to meet the growing demand of treating people in our area hospitals.

SAN ANTONIO – Despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent update on the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is still encouraging people who are eligible to donate. Some found patients did not benefit from receiving convalescent plasma. “Initially, it was a larger group of patients that could get convalescent plasma. AdThe new recommendations say hospitals should use convalescent plasma with high levels of COVID-19 antibodies before a patient is intubated or placed on a ventilator. We’re learning so much, and there’s this thirst for finding the best therapies for patients,” Gomez said.

The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations to help fulfill an increase in need caused by the pandemic. SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is urging people to donate blood as it is seeing a “severe” shortage amid an “extremely urgent” demand. Adrienne Mendoza, the vice president of Blood Operations at South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, said the need for blood during the coronavirus pandemic has strained the supply, “putting our community at risk.”About 500 donations are needed a day to keep up with the demand. “The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed a secondary national health emergency – a dramatic blood shortage for patients from coast to coast.”Mendoza said the demand increased by 35% in January. A voucher for a smoothie at Smoothie King will be given to donors on Sundays.

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor is clearing up confusion whether the US Food and Drug Administration is allowing people who received a COVID-19 vaccine to donate plasma with antibodies to help heal sick patients. And so, that’s only a small part of the coronavirus,” Gomez Ngamsuntikul said. However, someone who was vaccinated could still be eligible to donate plasma if they had COVID-19 and still have antibodies that were produced from infection. “When it’s part of your natural immunity, the immune response is a really broad type of immune response,” Gomez Ngamsuntikul said. For times and locations on where to donate, click here, or call the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center at 210-731-5555.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has announced Tuesday that the local supply of blood is enough for just three days of use. The center says that the local blood supply is not keeping up with the needs of patients, as COVID-19 has overwhelmed the donor recruitment system in the area and across the country. Additionally, the center said the type O blood supply, which area trauma centers rely on, is still in the critical zone. “All donors in the month of December will pocket a $10 Amazon Gift Card,” blood bank officials said in a statement. Related: South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to hold emergency blood drive Monday

SAN ANTONIO – They’re the first on the scene at major trauma events and this weekend, San Antonio firefighters, EMS and police officers were the first in line to give back to the community by donating blood. Conrad Gonzales, a retired San Antonio firefighter, felt he needed to step up when he heard that the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center’s blood supply continues to be at an all-time low, due to the pandemic. “I thought, you know, let’s get the firefighters (and) make this, like, a first annual first responder blood drive,” Gonzales said. “For the month of September, we were down a little over 4,000 units (of blood),” Cracraft said. For more information on how to host a blood drive, call STBTC at 210-757-9505.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holds emergency blood drive MondayPublished: September 14, 2020, 6:21 pmThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding an emergency blood drive in an effort to rebuild its local supply.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding an emergency blood drive in an effort to rebuild its local supply. The center needs 500 donations per day Sunday and Monday to rebuild its supply and meet the demands of local patients, a spokesperson for the center said. All blood donations, but especially those of having an O blood type, are encouraged to schedule their appointments as soon as possible. The center’s goal is to have at least a three-day supply of all blood types, the STBTC said. All blood donations will be tested for antibodies through Oct. 30, officials said.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holds blood drive at Johnson High SchoolIf you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

SAN ANTONIO – Day 1 of the Morgan’s Wonderland blood drive is complete, and organizers hope to have just as good a turnaround for the drive’s second day. The blood drive is in partnership with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center (STBTC). Morgan’s Wonderland staff members say they know this is a community need with which they can assist. "Due to COVID-19, right now giving blood and donating blood is extremely important to our community," Morgan's Wonderland Chief Missions Officer Brooke Kearney said. Click here for the link to sign up for the blood drive.

SAN ANTONIO As requests for COVID-19 convalescent plasma spiked in late spring and early summer, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center needed more support, so a team from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston stepped in and played a crucial role in collecting and distributing convalescent plasma. Twelve soldiers spent 30 days helping at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. Freed was part of the team of soldiers that helped at the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio. Freed said this job also helped soldiers gain experience for future deployments where they would need to collect blood during a mass casualty event. They expect to help the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center again.

After spending weeks in the hospital and on a ventilator, a plasma donation helped Dorrian regain the strength to breath on his own. But with more requests from hospitals coming in, the donation center says they need more donors to keep up with rising demand. Click here to learn more about plasma donation. One blood donation can save up to three lives. To schedule a blood donation, visit SouthTexasBlood.org.

SAN ANTONIO Joseph Dorian tested positive for COVID-19 in late March but became seriously ill, and within days he was on life support. Someone took time out of their life to save my life. Dorian decided he wanted to donate his plasma to save lives as well. COVID is the enemy, convalescent plasma is the ammunition, Dorian said. I know with donating plasma, I can help those kind of people, and I can help save a life, she said.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has announced it will test blood donors for COVID-19 antibodies for donations made from now through August. The test will be free for blood donors and the results will be mailed within two weeks, according to STB&TC. Donors can receive a Chick-fil-A voucher, an entry into a drawing for a two-year lease on a 2020 Ford Mustang from Jordan Ford, and a thank you gift from an online donor store. Sign up The drive will be located at the Battle for Texas lobby just below H&M. Staff and donors will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing, according to STB&TC.

SAN ANTONIO Layoffs of about 100 employees were announced Friday by BioBridge Global, the nonprofit parent of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, QualTex Laboratories, GenCure and The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation. According to a released statement, BioBridge Global has experienced the impact of the pandemic across many areas of its operations. The layoffs represent about 14% of its workforce. The majority of employees affected are within the QualTex Laboratories subsidiary, which provides testing services for blood centers and plasma collection centers across the country, according to the release. According to the release, Fridays layoffs will have little impact on the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

SAN ANTONIO – According to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, convalescent plasma is urgently needed in Bexar County to help critically ill patients diagnosed with COVID-19. “We’re shipping out 80 to 100 units of convalescent plasma a day to our local hospitals (with patients) that are critically ill,” Waltman said. John (left) and Deb (right) Almarez donate convalescent plasma on a regular basis since April. The couple has directly impacted up to 100 COVID-19 critically ill patients in San Antonio. According to the STBTC, they’re currently the only organization in South Texas that provides convalescent plasma directly to critically ill patients.

SAN ANTONIO The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center announced Saturday that it had a team member test positive for COVID-19. The last dates the infected teammate worked were on June 13 and June 14 at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center Northeast Donor Room, located at 8500 Village Drive. Waltman and Beddards statement said blood donations typically do not involve continuous close contact between the donor collection staff. Proactive safety measures the center has in place:Requiring staff to wear masks and gloves and providing masks to donors. More information on blood donation and the policies the center has instituted in response to COVID-19 is available at SouthTexasBlood.org.

SAN ANTONIO The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center says plasma donations are needed now more than ever, whether donors have had the coronavirus or not. The STBTC said plasma donations are essential for life-saving medicines for a number of conditions. While plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 can be used to make antibodies for other patients, plasma from healthy donors is desperately needed to treat people with serious or rare diseases, which often have few other treatment options. For more information, or to make an appointment to donate, click here. RELATED: San Antonio doctor who survived COVID-19 saving lives with his plasma

SAN ANTONIO – With the ongoing need for blood donations, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is offering a new and different incentive for your donation -- free antibody testing for COVID-19. Monday was the first day for free antibody testing for blood donors. RELATED: If you donate blood at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, you can get a free COVID-19 antibody test"I try to regularly donate blood," said Paul Yoder. Yoder was one of the hundreds of donors who made it out to the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center on Monday. Elizabeth Waltman, chief operating officer of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, said antibody tests are important to find those donors who can help others who have the virus.

SAN ANTONIO – As a way to say “thank you” to blood donors, the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is providing free antibody testing for COVID-19 for all blood donors this summer. The free antibody tests will be available to blood donors beginning Monday, June 8, through August 31. RELATED: Who should get a COVID-19 antibody test? The antibody test isn’t meant for those that are experiencing symptoms of the virus or believe they may be infected. RELATED: What can a COVID-19 antibody test tell us?

Published: May 19, 2020, 10:32 pm Updated: May 21, 2020, 7:05 amSAN ANTONIO – The Double Down Blood Drive kicks off Thursday to give people two chances to do some good during one event. For every blood donation made at the event, the Silverado Event Center will donate $5 to the San Antonio Food Bank. City leaders urge residents to donate blood, plasma for COVID-19 patientsThe blood drive will run Thursday through Saturday at the Alamodome. The South Texas Blood and Tissue is making it easy by allowing participants to set up appointments online at southtexasblood.org. Those who donate blood may receive an H-E-B gift card.

Blood types O negative and positive urgently needed in San Antonio hospitalsPublished: April 19, 2020, 5:44 pmThe South Texas Blood and Tissue Centers says donors with blood types O-negative and O-positive are urgently needed to help supply hospitals.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has a message for folks who have scheduled an appointment to donate blood -- keep that appointment. Officials said once you’ve made an appointment, do all you can to be there. “We’re trying to keep up with hospital needs,” Roger Ruiz, a spokesman for the center, said. "(We’re trying to keep) 10 to 15 days supply of blood on the shelves. The center has five locations in San Antonio and one in New Braunfels.

Blood supply dramatically impacted by coronavirus fearsPublished: March 17, 2020, 6:39 pmAware that potential donors these days need reassurance it’s safe to give blood, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has taken extra precautions during its blood drive that wraps up Wednesday.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holding blood drive amid critical shortagePublished: March 17, 2020, 5:18 pmAs the coronavirus pandemic continues, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding a blood drive to keep up with demand

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center holding blood drive at AlamodomePublished: March 17, 2020, 5:13 pmAs the coronavirus pandemic continues, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is holding a blood drive to keep up with demand

She says if this continues, it could lead to a collapse in the South Texas blood supply. Each day, the STBTC must collect over 400 units of blood to help patients, health officials say. Donating blood in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is safe and in doing so, health officials say it can help prevent a secondary health crisis caused by the depleted blood supply. Health officials say they expect the lack of blood donations to continue as COVID-19 sweeps across the nation; however, the need for blood is still critical. The news conference will be held at 10:30 a.m. on March 14 at the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center.

SAN ANTONIO – South Texans helped relieve the ‘critically low’ blood shortage in the city, making 3,229 donations to help restock area hospitals. This comes after representatives with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center said they were only one major trauma accident away from depleting its blood supply just last week. However, the need for blood donations is still urgent. 'Critically low’ blood shortage in San Antonio continuesHealth officials said there is still a strain on supplies and just one major car accident has the potential to wipe out the area’s blood supply in just a few hours. Help save a life during National Blood Donor Month with blood donationsCommunity partners, such as schools, businesses, civic groups and churches are also urged to host blood drives.

The increasing demand for blood is outpacing local collections, the organization said. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

SAN ANTONIO – A 7-year-old San Antonio boy with bone marrow cancer is in desperate need of blood. The problem is, his blood type is extremely rare. Posters were set up in doctor's offices across San Antonio promoting the blood drive. "Putting that in the forefront, letting people know and bringing awareness of the importance of O-negative blood donors, blood donations, is crucial," said Roger Ruiz, of South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. Those interested in setting up an appointment can call The South Texas Blood and Tissue center at 210-731-5555.