ALBANY, GA -- The Red Cross says the time they need the most blood is during the holidays, and two local churches hoped to help with the cause.

First Baptist Church in Acree held a blood drive with the Red Cross from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.; Beattie Road Church of Christ held theirs from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. At First Baptist Church in Acree, their goal was to get 20 pints of blood; in just over an hour they had four pints.

"Typically during the holiday time we do see a reduction of people that are able to come out and give blood because they're busy with their families and that type of thing. And it's the time when we really need blood because of accidents, things of that nature, when we use a lot more blood than we usually do," says Blood Donor Recruiter Shea Register.

Red Cross officials say nationwide they need up to 35,000 pints of blood between now and New Years to keep up with the blood demand hospitals witness during the holiday season.