Back to school with goal of saving 150,000 lives in 2026-27 session

High school blood donors supply 25% of community resource, notes Carter BloodCare

DALLAS – FORT WORTH (Aug. 11, 2026) – High school students across North, Central and East Texas are set for a lifesaving lesson in the new academic year.

Texas-based nonprofit blood center Carter BloodCare announced a goal of collecting 50,000 units of whole blood at 2026-27 high school blood drives.

When separated into its three components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma – each unit of whole blood can help save the lives of three patients needing transfusions. Student blood donors across the 59 Texas counties served by Carter BloodCare would be on track to save 150,000 lives. 

“In the last school year, Carter BloodCare held 2,643 high school blood drives and collected 48,267 units of whole blood,” said Clinton McCoy, Carter BloodCare’s Director of Mobile Donor Recruitment and Regional Operations. “That made a huge difference for 144,801 patients who needed those components.”

Up to 25% of the community blood supply is collected through high school blood drives, McCoy said.

And, while large-scale emergencies raise awareness of the need, blood is required locally every day for urgent and critical medical procedures. Blood donors help people with life-threatening injuries from car wrecks, gunshot victims, organ transplant recipients, children fighting cancer, new mothers, older adults with age-related health issues, and so many others.

Donors can begin giving blood at age 16 with parental consent; those 17 and older can donate on their own. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and feel well on the day of donation.

McCoy said all blood types are currently needed, especially O negative and O positive.

As the universal blood type, O negative is vital for treating any patient, regardless of individual blood type. O negative is the only blood type used to treat premature and unborn babies, too.

O positive is crucial for treating trauma patients with massive bleeding injuries.

Carter BloodCare offers several student donor programs, including recognition for graduates, leadership initiatives and grants for participating schools.

“Donating blood consistently is a powerful way for our young leaders of tomorrow to support their communities today,” McCoy said. “Texans always step up to help our neighbors.”

For information on student programs, hosting blood drives, donation locations and more, visit CarterBloodCare.org or call 800-366-2834.

About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is an independent community blood center providing transfusion resources in 59 counties of North, Central and East Texas to support more than 225 medical facilities. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 450,000 doses of blood and blood components annually to meet the medical treatment needs of local patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood components, as well as cellular therapy and clinical apheresis. Tu centro de sangre comunitario.