In 2017, after seeing the devastation that Hurricane Harvey brought to Louisiana and Texas, brothers Carter and Noah Collins of Park Ridge, Illinois, were determined to help. They partnered with the American Red Cross to host their first blood drive, which took place at their high school in 2018. Since then, Carter and Noah have continued to host an annual blood drive at their school. However, in 2020, as schools closed due to the pandemic, the duo had to find a new location for their blood drive. Through networking and sponsorships, Carter, a senior in high school and Noah, a junior, were able to raise sufficient funds to rent a space in their local park district. The pair made sure to utilize social media to promote the blood drive, which despite being held during the pandemic, resulted in an increase of 60% in blood donations from their previous events.
Because of their dedication to collecting much needed blood, the Red Cross is honoring Noah and Carter with the 2021 Blood Services Hero award, sponsored by Fresenius Kabi.
Fresenius Kabi is a global health care company and a leading provider of transfusion and cellular technologies. They are committed to supporting scientific, clinical and educational institutions and programs intended to improve human health and well-being.
Learn more about the 2021 Red Cross Heroes, and how you can help here. All gifts will be matched up to $215,000 through May 2021, thanks to the generous local support of Better, Fran & John Edwardson, and Susan & Nick Noyes. Make a gift today!
