🏈 Score Exclusive Illini Merch—and Help Illinois Win $1 Million!🩸
September 18, 2026 5:01 AM

Hello Faculty, Staff, and Students!

The Big Ten We Give Blood competition is back, and Illinois is competing for $1 million from Abbott to support student or community health initiatives. Last year, Fighting Illini donors helped impact as many as 15,000 lives and earned a Top 5 finish. This year let's bring home the championship.

Here's what's in it for you:

✅ Exclusive limited-edition Illinois Gives Blood T-shirt* when you present to donate blood
✅ Wear the official Illinois Gives Blood t-shirt into the Illini Union Bookstore and/or the Illini Union Quad Shop and receive 15% OFF your entire purchase**
✅ $10 Espresso Royale gift card* when you donate at an on-campus blood drive
✅ Bragging rights within the Big Ten Conference
✅ The chance to help save up to 3 lives

How to participate:

🗓 Donate blood between August 26–December 4, 2026 at any campus blood drive or donor center nationwide. Donations between August 12-August 25 will also be accepted.

👉 Schedule your appointment: BigTen.org/Abbott/illinois

📲 Claim your tee and give Illinois credit after donating:

• Register at BigTen.org/Abbott/submit or
• Text GIVEBLOOD to 222688 (ABBOTT)

🏆 Help Your College Win the Illinois Gives Blood Challenge

• From October 1-31, colleges across campus will compete in the Illinois Gives Blood Challenge to see which college can rally the most blood donors. The winning college will earn campus bragging rights and a commemorative plaque.
• When you donate on campus, tell the student ambassadors Lauren Koot or Abi Beck which college you're representing so your donation counts toward the competition.

Every donation helps save lives and gets Illinois one step closer to bringing home the $1 million prize.

Let's show the Big Ten what Fighting Illini spirit looks like.

I-L-L! 🔶🔷

P.S. Friends, families, and alumni can participate too...even if they live outside Champaign-Urbana...even if they live in another state! All they have to do is designate their donation for Illinois at BigTen.org/Abbott/submit or when they text GIVEBLOOD to 222688 (ABBOTT), just follow texting prompts.

*While supplies last. These items are non-transferable and non-renumerated for cash.

**Wear the official Illinois Gives Blood t-shirt into the Illini Union Bookstore and/or the Illini Union Quad Shop and receive 15% OFF your entire purchase. Discount good on in-store purchases only. Excludes Tech Zone items, textbooks and course materials, electronics, diploma frames, class rings, gift cards, special orders, NYT Best Sellers, and New Arrivals. Not applicable with any other discount or offer. Other exclusions may apply. Final discount taken at the register.