The American Red Cross is offering a new scholarship that will be available to high school and college students. This scholarship, called the “Leaders Save Lives Program,” asks that students host a blood drive at their school. Students can earn up to $2,500 and a gift card to any store of their choice.

The Leaders Save Lives Program is a new scholarship geared to help the American Red Cross get as much as they can out of winter blood drives.

“Winter is a difficult time to collect enough blood to meet patient needs with inclement weather and seasonal illnesses reducing the number of volunteer donors that come out to give,” Red Cross Communications Manager Cara Leyna Noble said. “Our Leaders Save Lives program gives students an opportunity to learn valuable leadership skills and help ensure blood is available for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions by recruiting their friends and family to give blood.” According to the American Red Cross, about 20 percent of all blood donations come from high school and college campuses. There is a very sharp decline, however, during winter months.

Noble and the American Red Cross call upon students who are community-minded to start up blood drives. Registration is ongoing until Nov. 15. Students will be expected to run their blood drive between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15, 2016.

Four students who collect between 25 and 59 pints of blood will be eligible to win up to $1,000. All students who collect this much will be eligible for a $50 gift card. The rewards increase with the more blood donated, with up to $2,500 for one student who raises 100 or more pints and a $200 gift card for all students who collect this much as well.

The Red Cross is a not-for-profit who helps to shelter, feed and provide support for all type of victims. This includes disaster victims who need emotional support. The Red Cross also provides about 40 percent of the nation’s blood to those who need it.

For more information on the Red Cross or how to donate blood, visit redcross.org or redcrossblood.org.

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