Yes, I donate blood through the American Red Cross. I’ve been doing it 4 times each year for 45 years. In fact I chair a blood drove in our CT town 4 times each year.
In 2003 I needed blood during surgery. Early this month Mrs. CTLawyer needed 4 units during her lengthy hospital stay.
Blood in CT is free. All collections are handled by the ARC. Patients are only billed for the expense of administering the blood by the hospital or doctor, not the blood itself.
As an FYI> effective late May, 2016 the minimum Iron level for donating males was raised to 13 from 12.5. This will probably cause most males to only be able to donate 3 times per year not 4. There is an acute shortage of blood in the US this summer brought on by travel restrictions caused by the Zika virus.