The American Red Cross urges eligible donors of all races and ethnicities to give blood to help ensure a diverse blood supply for patients in need.

The urgent need for blood donations is even more critical after last week’s tragedy in Las Vegas.

Some blood types are unique to certain racial and ethnic groups, so a diverse blood supply is important to meeting the medical needs of an increasingly diverse patient population.

Patients who need repeated transfusions, like those with rare conditions such as sickle cell disease, must have blood that is matched very closely. Patients are less likely to have complications from blood donated by someone with a similar ethnicity.

Donors of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as all blood types, are needed to help patients.

Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

To help reduce wait times, donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.

Two opportunities to donate blood in Claremont are scheduled next week. On Tuesday, October 10 from 1 to 7 p.m., donors may donate at St. Luke’s Church, 2050 N. Indian Hill Blvd.

A second concurrent donation opportunity is Tuesday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pomona College’s Smith Campus Center on Sixth Street and College Way.