The American Red Cross benefits from a new Wisconsin law.
Last March, Governor Jim Doyle signed legislation changing the blood donation age in Wisconsin to 16 with parental consent.
"Since March 17th, which is when the Red Cross started collecting from 16-year-olds, over 3,000 have come out to donate. So the turnout has been better than we ever imagined it would be."
Sarah Stevermer of the American Red Cross-Wisconsin says in just nine months, 3,000 16-year-olds have donated blood — that's 3,000 more donors than would have been possible without this new law.
"It's really helped us maintain a stable blood supply for patients here in the area as well as around the nation."
Stevermer says young folks seem eager to participate — to give back to their communities, and it's something easy they can do.