April 22, 2020 -- The American Red Cross is proud to announce that 47 pints of lifesaving blood were collected Tuesday, during the TC Restaurant Group blood drive outside Jason Aldean's Kitchen and Rooftop Bar and Luke's 32 Bridge on lower Broadway in Nashville. All presenting donors received lunch prepared by TC Restaurant Group chefs, a $50 gift card and a swag bag courtesy of TC Restaurant Group, while supplies lasted.

Every day, people in Middle Tennessee and across the country rely on volunteer blood donors when receiving healthcare. Cancer patients, accident victims, those undergoing surgery and those with chronic illnesses may need blood. In times of crisis, the Red Cross is fortunate to witness the best of humanity as people roll up a sleeve to help those in need.

"TC Restaurant Group was so pleased to be able to help the American Red Cross through this partnership and thrilled with the overwhelming response from our team and the community," said Adriana Orsini, assistant director of marketing for the TC Restaurant Group. "I do credit this to the fact that we are a hospitality company. When we have a guest, we strive to make their experience the best it can be. These are the types of people we have on our team, so it makes sense that when we are presented an opportunity to help the community they would step forward with such force."

There is no known end date in this fight against coronavirus and the Red Cross needs the help of blood donors and blood drive hosts to maintain a sufficient blood supply for weeks to come.

"Supporting the community is at the heart of what we do," said Garry Allison, regional donor services executive for the Red Cross Tennessee Blood Services Region. "Our work never stops, even during the coronavirus crisis. We are appreciative of TC Restaurant Group and all presenting blood donors who helped to make the drive a success and a significant impact on the lives of others."

Thanks to generous blood drive hosts like TC Restaurant Group and the many who gave blood and scheduled appointments, the Red Cross has been able to meet immediate patient needs. During this uncertain time, individuals are encouraged to keep scheduled blood donation appointments and to make new blood donation appointments for the weeks ahead to ensure a stable supply throughout this pandemic.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a computer or mobile device. To get started and learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.