A blood donation drive by the American Red Cross takes place on Tuesday, April 2 at the Masonic Temple Lodge in Westport.

The drive runs on the 2^nd from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on the second floor of the Lodge at 210 Post Road East, on the corner of Imperial Avenue.

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-RED CROSS). Appointments can also be made online.

While supplies last, donors will receive a free tee-shirt.

According to the American Red Cross, every two to three seconds in the United States, someone needs a unit of blood. The supply is dependent on volunteer donors. Currently, there is a severe shortage.

The organization, the nation’s largest blood supplier, says it is experiencing the lowest number of people giving blood in the last 20 years. “Blood and platelet donations are needed now to help alleviate the shortage and ensure lifesaving medical procedures proceed without delay.”

Its chief medical officer, Dr. Pampee Young, said, “One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty refrigerator without any blood products.”