WILLIAMSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations this summer.

Red Cross officials say blood donations often decline during the summer, when schools are out and vacations are in.

The Red Cross encourages donors to make an appointment to give now.

Donors who present to give blood between May 23 and 31 in honor of Memorial Day could win one of five $1,000 American Express gift cards to create their own summer of stories.

The Red Cross says they serve about 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country, including many Veterans Affairs medical centers.

You can learn more and make an appointment to donate blood by visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Butler County, MO

CARTERVILLE, IL (KFVS) - With a goal of stamping out child abuse in Southern Illinois, Jo Poshard distributed $70,000 Tuesday at John A. Logan College to 28 different agencies in the region that serve children’s needs.

“This year we were able to give out $70,000 to 28 agencies and we’re very excited about that,” said Jo Poshard with the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children. “We would like to make it much more, but we know that they will use this money to plug the gaps and help create that safety net for the children.”

Poshard is the co-founder of the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children, whose home base is the college. The monies were raised last fall at the foundation’s main fundraiser.

“Our mission is to help abused, neglected and abandoned children here in Southern Illinois,” Poshard said. “Our organization does not receive any state or federal funds to operate. We attempt to provide services and goods that area agencies can’t afford to provide.”