FAIRFIELD, Ohio — Blood centers are counting on students after the blood supply hit a critical new low over the summer.

Now, bad weather, like Hurricane Debby, is adding to the woes, canceling nearly 60 blood drives across the country this week. Teens across Ohio are now rolling up their sleeves to do their part. 

What You Need To Know

  • The blood supply hit a new low this summer and left the shelves bare at Solvita Blood Center

  • Since you can be 16 to donate blood in Ohio, the blood center is teaming up with high schools across the region to get more teens donating 

  • The blood center is expecting student donations to make up almost 20% of the blood supply

Arianna Absher is nervous because, for the first time, the 17-year-old is donating blood.

“I think the needle makes me nervous,” said Absher. “I freak out about a lot of stuff that I’ve never done before,” she said. 

“I was like, ‘I got the first chance, okay, let’s do it because I’m a helpful person,’ I like helping people in any way that I can help,” said Absher. 

She’s not alone. 130 teens signed up to give blood and get credit for community service.

“When you donate three times throughout your high school career, you get a red honor cord that you’re able to actually wear when you graduate,” said blood drive organizer and IT instructor Chris Kurzhals. 

It’s part of an effort to get more teens donating after the Fairfield Senior High School gym was turned into a blood center, Solvita Blood Center.

“The supply seems to get worse every day. That’s because it’s been exacerbated by high usage,” said Solvita spokesperson Mark Pompilio. 

Pompilio said they’re counting on high schoolers to refill empty shelves since you only have to be 16 to donate in Ohio.

“That’s our only hope is to get a new generation of donors, because donors my age and older are aging out. Maybe not donating as much as they used to or coming into a part of their life where they need blood instead of being able to give it away,” said Pompilio. 

He said every year high school students make up almost 20% of blood donations. That’s why every year at the start of the school year they go from school to school to host these blood drives and fill the shelves with blood that will go to people who need a blood transfusion in the hospital.

For Absher, it’s all worth it. 

“It makes me happy because, like, then, like, if they need, like, a blood transfusion and they have blood to take care of them, and they’re fine, and they’ll be okay, I love seeing other people happy. it makes me happy,” said Ashber. 

To see your schedule of when and where the next high school, the blood drive is coming to you or your student's high school, click here.