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Sometimes, making a difference starts with one person rolling up their sleeve. Other times, it starts with someone encouraging a friend, coworker or neighbor to do the same. 

For Mitch Eiting of Dayton, Ohio, and Hubert Stalling of Chicago, that simple act of encouragement has grown into years of service, meaningful relationships and opportunities for others to help patients in need.

Now, their dedication is receiving national recognition.

Eiting and Stalling have been named to the 2026 Fresenius Kabi National Blood Donation Hall of Fame, which honors individuals whose generosity, leadership and commitment have made a lasting difference in blood donation across the country.

Versiti nominated Eiting and Stalling for the ways they inspire others to give blood and help patients in need.Their stories show how one person's commitment can inspire an entire community to give.

At Midmark Corporation in Dayton, Ohio, Mitch Eiting has helped make blood donation something coworkers can do together.

As Midmark's global philanthropic and corporate giving manager, Eiting knows people want to make a difference. Sometimes, all they need is encouragement and an opportunity that fits into their day.

That's where he comes in.

Eiting works to make blood drives accessible to employees across different shifts, helping more people find a convenient time to give. He also connects personally with coworkers, sharing stories, videos and reminders that help them understand the difference their donations can make for patients.

His hands-on approach has helped build a workplace where giving blood is more than an occasional event. It's become a way for coworkers to care for people beyond their workplace.

And that commitment continues to grow.

Participation in Midmark's blood drives has more than doubled, increasing from approximately 40 donors to nearly 90 per drive. Over the past decade, the company's blood drives have collected more than 6,000 donations.

Midmark's commitment also extends into the surrounding community. The company supports six community blood drives, helping cover hall rental costs and spreading the word so more neighbors have an opportunity to give.

For Eiting, a successful blood drive isn't simply about getting people to show up. It's about helping them feel connected to something meaningful.

"It takes an active role, hands-on encouragement and leadership," Eiting said.

Through his leadership, Eiting is showing what can happen when a workplace makes room for generosity. He's also helping other businesses see how they can bring that same commitment to their teams and communities.

For more than a decade, Hubert Stalling has brought people across Chicago together around a simple belief: Caring for our neighbors is something we can all take part in.

A dedicated blood donor and drive coordinator, Stalling has made blood donation an important part of his service through the Chi Lambda Lambda Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

At the heart of his work are the relationships he builds. Stalling knows an invitation to give blood can carry special meaning when it comes from someone you know and trust, especially when you understand how your donation can help a patient in need.

That belief has shaped his outreach through the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities with strong ties to their communities.

Each year, Stalling organizes multiple blood drives and encourages members of these organizations to participate. For the past five years, Divine Nine organizations have hosted blood drives each September in recognition of Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

These efforts are especially meaningful for patients living with sickle cell disease, who may need ongoing blood transfusions. Finding closely matched blood is particularly important, and certain blood characteristics are more common among people with shared ancestry. By encouraging donation and raising awareness within these communities, Stalling helps more people understand the important role they can play in supporting patients.

But the impact of these drives goes beyond the blood collected. They bring neighbors together, open conversations about the need for blood and give people a meaningful way to care for others.

For Stalling, that work begins with listening, building trust and inviting people to participate.

"Our outreach must be grounded in shared respect and commitment," Stalling said.

That principle guides his service. By working alongside organizations with deep community connections, Stalling helps more people feel welcome, informed and encouraged to give.

Through every conversation, blood drive and person inspired to participate, he's helping build a stronger community of people ready to care for one another.

Behind every successful blood drive are people who care enough to make it happen.

They're the coworkers who send reminders, neighbors who invite a friend, volunteers who help organize a drive and community leaders who keep showing up year after year.

For more than 25 years, Fresenius Kabi has celebrated people like these through its National Blood Donation Hall of Fame, recognizing individuals whose commitment to donating blood and inspiring others has helped strengthen the nation's blood supply.

Mitch Eiting and Hubert Stalling exemplify that commitment. Their paths are different, but they share something important: They see an opportunity to help others, and they invite people to join them.

At Versiti, we're grateful for Mitch and Hubert, not only for the time and energy they've devoted to blood donation but also for the care they've shown in bringing others together.

We congratulate them on this recognition and thank them for the many ways they continue to serve their communities.

Their stories remind us that hope doesn't always begin with a grand gesture. Sometimes, it begins with a conversation, a personal invitation or a few hours set aside to help someone else.

And when that kindness inspires another person to give, the impact continues to grow.

To learn more about the 2026 National Blood Donation Hall of Fame honorees, visit Fresenius Kabi's website.

To schedule a blood donation or learn how your workplace or community organization can host a blood drive, visit Versiti.org.