Heartland Blood Centers, 2428 Sycamore Road, will hold a blood drive at the Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Ave., in hopes of increasing blood donations.

The blood drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday. The organization hopes to receive donations from at least 26 donors.

Donors will receive a complimentary T-shirt and be entered into a raffle to receive two tickets to the NCAA Men’s Midwest Regional Tournament “Sweet 16” game March 27 at the United Center in Chicago.

The event is being hosted in response to a declining blood inventory due to donors not committing to appointments and deferrals for illness, said Camille Piazza, blood program consultant for Heartland Blood Centers, in an email to community members.

The organization also projects a decline in donations during March due to spring break, as local high school and college student donations account for 25 percent of the organization’s blood supply, Piazza said in the email.

To make an appointment to donate during the event, sign up online at bit.ly/N5CAr1 or call Piazza at 847-305-9998.