GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -September 1 through 7 is National Blood Donation Week, and Vitalant, a nonprofit blood service collector and provider, is urging eligible donors to give blood and save lives.

To raise awareness of the need for blood, Gov. Jared Polis proclaimed September 4, 2025, as Colorado Blood Donation Day.

Vitalant officials say that "blood types are vital to helping patients, especially the most-transfused type O. In an emergency, O-negative is what doctors reach for when there's no time to determine a patient's blood type, and O-positive is the next best alternative."

Vitalant will offer all donors in September a free hemoglobin A1C test, a key indicator of diabetes risk. More than 1 in 3 adults have prediabetes, which, if found early, can be reversed with lifestyle changes before developing into diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"A hemoglobin A1C test, a two-to-three-month look at one's blood sugar levels, can give those who may be at risk of developing diabetes a chance at early intervention," said Dr. Ralph Vassallo, Vitalant chief medical and scientific officer. "Donating blood is a lifesaver for patients. Learning valuable health information can be empowering for donors."

Below is a list of some of the upcoming blood drives: