A shortfall in blood donations throughout the country, which prompted the American Red Cross to issue an emergency call to donors last week, has taken another hit. The American Red Cross announced Tuesday that despite a national appeal for donations, blood collections are still lacking as a result of severe storms in several parts of the United States. “Storms in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions may severely impact the ability to build the blood inventory back up to sufficient levels in many locations,” the Red Cross announced in a news release.