Indy blood drive, events celebrate Giving Tuesday

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Hundreds of Central Indiana organizations are participating in Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday was started back in 2012 by a group of people at a cultural center in New York City.

Their goal was simple: to celebrate and encourage giving. And they’ve been successful; last year more than $700,000 people from 70 different countries donated a total of $16 million.

Donations can come in the form of money, time or even blood. The Indiana Blood Center is holding a blood drive at the Capital Center in downtown Indianapolis from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. as part of Giving Tuesday.

O negative blood and platelet donors are especially in need, officials say.

Click here or here to schedule a blood donation appointment.

Hundreds of other organizations are also participating in Giving Tuesday. For a full list, click here.

And to learn more about how you can help, click here.