Four ways you can help West, Texas explosion victims

By now news of the explosion in West, Texas on April 17 has spread across the state and the country. In addition to our thoughts and prayers, the Claus Team wanted to share information on a few ways people outside the West area can help families affected by the tragedy.

1. American Red Cross - Waco Chapter. Coordinating relief efforts for multiple assistance organizations, the Waco Chapter of the American Red Cross is available online at http://www.redcross.org/tx/waco. Donations of money, time, or materials can be made directly through the site.

2. Prayers for West Facebook Page and In Memory of West, TX Firefighters Facebook Page- With more than 62,000 "Likes," the Prayers for West Facebook Page is a one stop resource to offer support and find resource needs requests and the In Memory of West, TX Firefighters Facebook Page is an outlet for supporting the families of firefighters killed in the blast.

3. The Salvation Army of Texas - With a huge number of residents displaced, the Salvation Army of Texas will lead efforts to aid in replenishing the loss of physical possessions  To contribute to the Salvation Army of Texas' relief efforts in West, visit them online at www.salvationarmytexas.org.

4. Donate Blood - The South Texas Blood Center is currently taking appointments for blood donations for victims of West. If you live in the San Antonio area and would like to donate blood, call 210.731.5590 to schedule an appointment.

If you know of other ways to help, the Claus Team would love to share them with our network. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below or call us at 210.566.6355, and we'll add them to this post.

Our prayers and support are with the people of West today.