South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) and Valero have teamed up in June to prevent critical blood shortages in South Texas similar to those occurring across the United States.

Blood shortages, which typically worsen during the summer, have become a common problem in many regions of the country. Although it’s only the first week in June, there already are reports of blood rationing in some areas and the combination of summer heat and thuderstorms will only make shortages worse.

To encourage donations, all donors in June will receive a $10 Valero fuel card and a $5 Sonic gift card. To help boost critical supplies, type O and platelet donors will receive a $20 Valero card and the $5 Sonic card.

When Rowan Windham first spotted collection bins for the “End Summer Hunger Cereal Drive” at Methodist Children’s Hospital, he did not let his post-surgery recovery, or the walls of his hospital room, stop him from donating almost 4,000 cereal boxes.

By the age of 10, Rowan had spent one-third of his life battling Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, with more than 1,000 hospital days and 100 surgeries. Yet he always strived to help others and make the good in situations where it was hard to see any.

He passed away in December 2016.

The Rowan Windham Memorial Cereal Drive is moving on to its fourth year of giving to children in the community by helping end summer hunger. The cereal drive will be from May 31 to June 6 at BioBridge Global as one of the numerous donation sites in San Antonio and New Braunfels.