The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey has left the nation’s fourth largest city with a great need for help. Blood is in high demand, and many hospitals in the area have been forced to shut down.

The Regional Blood Center at St. Mary’s was prepared to send blood earlier in the week, but the Houston hospitals were unable to receive it at the time. Once Houston has assessed their need for blood, the Regional Blood Center will ship it down as soon as possible – most likely at the beginning of next week.

The center encourages residents to donate blood, especially before this long holiday weekend. They also said it is the nature of the blood community to help out other areas when they are in crisis. “We all share with each other when times are bad. And so, we have to be there because we would want them to be there for us,” said Jennifer Rhamy, the director of the Regional Blood Center.

Other places accepting donations are the Grand Junction Rotary Club, American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army.