NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The partial federal government shutdown is causing problems for a New Orleans blood bank that serves more than two dozen hospitals in Louisiana and southern Mississippi.
 
The Blood Center spokesman Paul Adams said Tuesday that the nonprofit had to cancel two blood drives that were going to take place at or near federal government agencies because of the shutdown.
 
Adams says the center relies on area businesses to host blood drives and often holds them at federal government buildings or areas with a lot of federal government employees. He says the government facilitates the blood drives and employees are often willing to donate.
 
The blood bank is scrambling to find other locations to hold their drives such as schools or churches.