Big Ten and Abbott launch blood donation competition

The Big Ten Conference and Abbott Laboratories have launched the 2026 ‘We Give Blood Drive,’ a competition challenging all 18 Big Ten universities to collect the most blood donations by December 4. The initiative aims to combat a national blood shortage, which the American Red Cross has characterized as a crisis following a four-year summer low in donations.

To incentivize participation, Abbott has offered a $1,000,000 grant to the winning institution. The drive includes various regional efforts, such as an inaugural blood drive at the Iowa City Senior Center supported by the DeGowin Blood Center, and mobilization efforts by UCLA Athletics to encourage students, alumni, and fans to donate at campus centers or local facilities.

Donations made on or after August 12 are eligible to count toward the competition totals. Participants can log their contributions through designated university portals or via text to help their respective schools in the race for the grant.