Back-to-School Season and the Blood Supply

Published by Kirby Winn on Thursday, September 4, 2025 in News Releases

Volunteer blood donors are needed throughout the year, but the back-to-school season can be an especially critical time, with many regular donors finding their schedules too busy to give blood. With the return of high school and college blood drives, ImpactLife encourages all donors to make an appointment this month to help ensure patients have the lifesaving resources they need. 

To book an appointment to give blood with ImpactLife, call (800) 747-5401, text LIFESAVER to 999-777, or book online at bloodcenter.org, or via the Blood Center's mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app). 

Big Ten We Give Blood Drive Now Underway!
The Big Ten We Give Blood Drive is now underway, bringing added energy and team spirit to the effort. Every donation made during the competition (Aug. 27 through Dec. 5) scores one point for the Big Ten school designated by the donor on the leaderboard. (Check the standings at www.BigTen.org/abbott). 

• The winning school will receive $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health.
• Donors who give during the We Give Blood Drive have the opportunity to receive a limited-edition Homefield-designed T-shirt for their school. Shirts — shown at www.BigTen.org/abbott — will be available throughout the competition while supplies last.
  • Donors must register their donation through the “We Give Blood” campaign within two weeks of their donation. (See complete information here.)

Big Ten We Give Blood Drive Leaderboard

ImpactLife Donor Rewards: $20 Bonus Weeks through Sept. 21
Through its Donor For Life program, ImpactLife offers rewards that grow in value with each donation made within a calendar year. Donors can choose from an electronic gift card, bonus points to use in the Donor Rewards Store, or the option to make a charitable donation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice through the blood center's Good Giving program.

To thank donors who come to ImpactLife donor centers during this busy time of year, the blood center is offering a $20 gift card or Good Giving donation bonus for all donations made at ImpactLife donor center locations through Sept. 21. The bonus is applied on top of the donor’s achieved frequency level reward, so gift card values begin at $20 (or $40, for donations made at Donor Centers) and increase with the donor’s annual number of donations. A full rewards chart—including values for different donation types (e.g., Whole Blood, Double Red Cell, or Platelet/Plasma)—is shown below.

GOOD GIVING: support the nonprofit of your choice

About ImpactLife
ImpactLife's mission is to save lives by engaging donors, supporting partners, and advancing medicine. Founded in 1974, ImpactLife supplies blood products and services to hundreds of hospitals, emergency services organizations, clinical researchers, and other blood centers throughout Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The nonprofit blood provider is ranked among the leading 12 blood suppliers in the United States. For more information on current blood inventory levels, our donor promotions, and more, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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