American Red Cross. (PRNewsFoto/American Red Cross)

During National Volunteer Month in April, the American Red Cross asks donors to help keep the blood supply stable by making an appointment to give blood or platelets now. Type O blood and platelets are especially needed to ensure hospitals are fully stocked with lifesaving blood products this spring.

The Red Cross depends on thousands of volunteer donors to collect more than 12,000 blood donations and about 3,000 platelet donations every single day. Blood drives and donation centers also depend on the generosity and valuable time of those who make it possible for the Red Cross to help people in need.

As spring travel and activities fill calendars, volunteer blood donations remain essential to critical medical care. Book a time to give blood or platelets now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

All who come to give from until April 30, will get an exclusive Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last, plus be automatically entered for a chance to win a $5,000 prize. There will be three winners. See RedCrossBlood.org/Hope.

In May, all who come to give from May 1-18, will get a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. Plus, throughout May, those who come to give will be automatically entered to win a trip for two anywhere in the U.S. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/May.

The dates, times and donation sites are as follows:

Antrim

April 28: 1 – 6 p.m., Antrim Fire Station, 82 Clinton Rd.

Bedford

April 29: 1 – 6 p.m., St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish Center, 190 Meetinghouse Rd.

Goffstown

April 24: noon – 6 p.m., Saint Anselm College Carr Center, 87 St. Anselm Dr.

April 29: noon – 4:30 p.m., St. Lawrence Parish, 1 East Union St.

Hollis

May 3: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hollis Congregational Church, 3 Monument Sq.

Litchfield

April 23: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Campbell High School, 1 Highlander Court

Manchester

April 22: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Catholic Medical Center, 100 McGregor St.

April 24: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Manchester Community College, 1066 Front St.

Milford

April 25: noon – 5 p.m., Milford NH Masonic Temple, 30 Mont Vernon St.

Nashua

April 22: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Nashua Community College Wellness Center, 505 Amherst St.

April 23: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St.

April 23: noon – 4:30 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 110 Concord St.

April 25: noon – 5 p.m., St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 777 West Hollis St.

May 1: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Nashua NH Elks Lodge, 12 Murphy Dr., Unit B-1

New Ipswich

May 3: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., New Ipswich Congregational Church, 156 Main St.

Peterborough

May 2: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Union Congregational Church, 33 Concord St.