Colorado’s Bonfils Blood Center, which has a site in Boulder, is accepting blood donations for the victims in the Orlando mass shooting.

Those who wish to donate blood are asked to make appointments and mention the Orlando Memorial Drive.

The Boulder site, at 3113 28th St., is closed today and Monday.

Appointments can be made at any time online or during regular business hours by calling 303-363-2300.

Blood centers across the country are experiencing shortages currently due to several factors, including the drop in donations that typically occurs in the summer months, according to Bonfils.

OneBlood, the blood center responding in Orlando, has put out an urgent nationwide request for blood products.

After hearing about the shortage, U.S. Rep Jared Polis, D-Boulder, took to Twitter on Sunday to urge the Food and Drug Administration to repeal a policy that bans men who have had sex with men in the last year from donating blood.

Before 2015, there was a lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

Polis, who is openly gay, said the policy could prevent a gay man from donating lifesaving blood to his own spouse.

“This policy adds a grave insult to the injury these families are facing,” he said, referencing the victims of the Orlando shooting. “The blood of gay people is no different than the blood of straight people. There’s no valid argument for this policy at all.”

Screening for behavior, including having unprotected sex, makes sense — not an outright ban, he added.

“Hopefully, this will focus enough attention on this bigoted, archaic policy that the FDA will change it,” he said.

Amy Bounds: 303-473-1341, boundsa@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/boundsa