BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The winter weather has impacted community outreach programs, including blood donations.
The heavy snowfall has force multiple blood donation centers to close. Officials say their main focus is to provide help to flood victims in the Commonwealth, but there has been a challenge with the recent snow.
During last month's winter storm, officials say there were around 1,000 blood products lost statewide.
Some may be anxious about the lack of resources amid an emergency. Executive director of south-central Kentucky's American Red Cross chapter, Jennifer Capps, encourages donations to ease victims' and patients' minds.
Capps is "proud" of the area for their blood programs. She says south-central Kentucky gives "enough blood to supply one day of the country's blood supply" in a calendar year. Capps adds this is "an opportunity" for people to "play a part" in giving back.
She says there are alternative options to serve instead of donating blood.