On Monday, country singer Morgan Wallen donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross. The money will help his hometown of East Tennessee recover from Hurricane Helene.&nbsp;

Wallen shared a message on his Instagram Stories before making the donation. He &nbsp;wrote, "My family in East Tennessee are safe but I know many are absolutely devastated there and in multiple states."

He added, "It is going to take a monumental effort and I am in contact with my team and others working on ways I can help."

Hurricane Helene is one of the worst storms to hit the United States in 50 years. It caused flooding and damage in several states. So far more than 100 people have died and hundreds are still missing. In East Tennessee, 153 people are missing and at least three people have died. Many places lost power including more than 760,000 homes in South Carolina and thousands more in Georgia and North Carolina.

Wallen is the first celebrity to make a big donation for hurricane relief. His donation was made through the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The foundation usually helps kids get access to sports and music but now, it is helping with the disaster response.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oasis-announces-north-american-concert-dates-763350">Oasis announces North American concert dates</a>

The American Red Cross thanked Wallen for his generosity and said the money will make a big difference. "We can't thank Morgan Wallen enough for his heart and generous $500,000 donation to impact help on the ground now in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, including his beloved East Tennessee," Trevor Riggin, Red Cross' national president for humanitarian services, said in a statement to Knox News.

Communities in East Tennessee and other areas are still struggling after the hurricane. Many people lost their homes and some were even stranded on hospital roofs due to flooding.

On Monday, country singer Morgan Wallen donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross. The money will help his hometown of East Tennessee recover from Hurricane Helene.

On Monday, country singer Morgan Wallen donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross. The money will help his hometown of East Tennessee recover from Hurricane Helene. Wallen shared a message on his Instagram Stories before making the donation. He wrote, "My family in East Tennessee are safe but I know many are absolutely devastated there and in multiple states." He added, "It is going to take a monumental effort and I am in contact with my team and others working on ways I can help." Hurricane Helene is one of the worst storms to hit the United States in 50 years. It caused flooding and damage in several states. So far more than 100 people have died and hundreds are still missing. In East Tennessee, 153 people are missing and at least three people have died. Many places lost power including more than 760,000 homes in South Carolina and thousands more in Georgia and North Carolina. Wallen is the first celebrity to make a big donation for hurricane relief. His donation was made through the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The foundation usually helps kids get access to sports and music but now, it is helping with the disaster response. Also read: Oasis announces North American concert dates The American Red Cross thanked Wallen for his generosity and said the money will make a big difference. "We can't thank Morgan Wallen enough for his heart and generous $500,000 donation to impact help on the ground now in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, including his beloved East Tennessee," Trevor Riggin, Red Cross' national president for humanitarian services, said in a statement to Knox News. Communities in East Tennessee and other areas are still struggling after the hurricane. Many people lost their homes and some were even stranded on hospital roofs due to flooding.

Morgan Wallen donates $500,000 to Hurricane Helene relief

The pandemic has caused many supply-chain bottlenecks in everyday life, but few are as critical as the United States’ ever-shrinking blood banks. For the American Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and other nonprofit blood centers, the problem lies mostly at the top of the chain: the diminishing number of healthy donors.

“This is the biggest challenge that I’ve seen in my 30 years in the business,” Chris Hrouda, president of biomedical services at the American Red Cross, said in an interview Thursday.

Donations of blood typically decline at this time of year, when holiday parties, wintry weather, seasonal illnesses, travel, and school and college breaks lead to lower donor turnout. But Hrouda said this month’s national supply had dipped to levels that the Red Cross has not seen in 10 years.

“We simply like to keep three days of inventory,” he said. “We’re struggling to keep one day.” Blood takes up to three days to be tested and prepared for patients.

Remote work, blood drive cancellations, and the limits that colleges and businesses have placed on the number of people allowed in public spaces have all reduced donor turnout.

“We just didn’t get as much access as we had hoped for this fall,” Hrouda said.

Compounding the problem, the Red Cross, like many employers, is struggling to attract and retain employees amid the pandemic.

The critical shortage leaves hospitals to more carefully allocate the precious resource. “We have not had to delay any cases yet, but we are very mindful" of what our blood supply is, said Dr. Jennifer Andrews, medical director of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center blood bank in Nashville, Tennessee. Blood donations are essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries.

Vanderbilt, the only level-one trauma center in its region, has recalibrated the transfusions it uses to rescue patients — by using fewer red blood cells — to ensure that there is enough for all. “We still think that’s safe, and we know that saves lives,” Andrews said.

Other hospitals have altered treatment for some patients or canceled some patient surgeries, Red Cross officials said.

At Vanderbilt, “an elective surgery put off today is an emergency surgery tomorrow,” Andrews said. The medical staff has held two to three blood drives a month, up from one before the pandemic, to help replenish the center’s supplies, she said. But more is needed.

The nation’s blood supply also faced a critical shortage after March 2020 as the first wave of the coronavirus spread across the country. Blood drives were canceled when businesses closed, and many people — especially older Americans, who have traditionally been the most frequent donors — feared going into donation centers. At that time, the FDA eased some restrictions to help reverse the drastic drop in supply.

“We’ve overcome the fear of any sort of risk associated with a blood drive,” said Hrouda, who noted that the supply had largely bounced back until the delta variant began spreading over the summer. Blood bank directors are hoping that supply will once again catch up to demand.

“Every unit of blood is giving someone life,” Andrews said. “This holiday season, you can give the gift of life.” 
&nbsp;

The pandemic has caused many supply-chain bottlenecks in everyday life, but few are as critical as the United States’ ever-shrinking blood banks. For the American Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and other nonprofit blood centers, the problem lies mostly at the top of the chain: the diminishing number of healthy donors.

The pandemic has caused many supply-chain bottlenecks in everyday life, but few are as critical as the United States’ ever-shrinking blood banks. For the American Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and other nonprofit blood centers, the problem lies mostly at the top of the chain: the diminishing number of healthy donors. “This is the biggest challenge that I’ve seen in my 30 years in the business,” Chris Hrouda, president of biomedical services at the American Red Cross, said in an interview Thursday. Donations of blood typically decline at this time of year, when holiday parties, wintry weather, seasonal illnesses, travel, and school and college breaks lead to lower donor turnout. But Hrouda said this month’s national supply had dipped to levels that the Red Cross has not seen in 10 years. “We simply like to keep three days of inventory,” he said. “We’re struggling to keep one day.” Blood takes up to three days to be tested and prepared for patients. Remote work, blood drive cancellations, and the limits that colleges and businesses have placed on the number of people allowed in public spaces have all reduced donor turnout. “We just didn’t get as much access as we had hoped for this fall,” Hrouda said. Compounding the problem, the Red Cross, like many employers, is struggling to attract and retain employees amid the pandemic. The critical shortage leaves hospitals to more carefully allocate the precious resource. “We have not had to delay any cases yet, but we are very mindful" of what our blood supply is, said Dr. Jennifer Andrews, medical director of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center blood bank in Nashville, Tennessee. Blood donations are essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. Vanderbilt, the only level-one trauma center in its region, has recalibrated the transfusions it uses to rescue patients — by using fewer red blood cells — to ensure that there is enough for all. “We still think that’s safe, and we know that saves lives,” Andrews said. Other hospitals have altered treatment for some patients or canceled some patient surgeries, Red Cross officials said. At Vanderbilt, “an elective surgery put off today is an emergency surgery tomorrow,” Andrews said. The medical staff has held two to three blood drives a month, up from one before the pandemic, to help replenish the center’s supplies, she said. But more is needed. The nation’s blood supply also faced a critical shortage after March 2020 as the first wave of the coronavirus spread across the country. Blood drives were canceled when businesses closed, and many people — especially older Americans, who have traditionally been the most frequent donors — feared going into donation centers. At that time, the FDA eased some restrictions to help reverse the drastic drop in supply. “We’ve overcome the fear of any sort of risk associated with a blood drive,” said Hrouda, who noted that the supply had largely bounced back until the delta variant began spreading over the summer. Blood bank directors are hoping that supply will once again catch up to demand. “Every unit of blood is giving someone life,” Andrews said. “This holiday season, you can give the gift of life.”

US blood banks experiencing biggest shortage in a decade

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Morgan Wallen donates $500,000 to Hurricane Helene relief

US blood banks experiencing biggest shortage in a decade