Pray for West, TX...Give Blood, Donate, Etc.

At around 8:00 tonight the fertilizer factory in West, TX exploded.  There are people injured.  A nursing home, the Junior High, and many other buildings are badly damaged.  More info here.

We live less than 30 minutes away.  Praying for the victims, the doctors, the rescue workers.  If you would like to help, below are ways to donate:

VOLUNTEER:

• Aggieland Outfitters has also set up a number to text for information about volunteering. By texting "HELPWEST" to 99000, Aggieland Outfitters will provide information as it becomes available.  
• Samaritan's Purse is organizing volunteers here.

CASH DONATIONS

• Educators Credit Union accepting donations to benefit West ISD. All locations. Please make checks payable to: ECU – West ISD Relief Fund
• Donations to the West Relief Fund can be made through Baylor online here.
• GENCO Federal Credit Union has established an emergency fund for the Red Cross for use in West relief. Donations may be made at GENCO branch offices in Lacy Lakeview/Bellmead, Waco, Woodway and Lorena. Call 1-800-922-6428 for information.
• Point West Bank in West has a fund established for emergency relief.
•  The Knights of Columbus also have a Fund for West Disaster Relief with information at www.kofc.org/Texas.
• The Waco Foundation will receive donations for a West, Texas Disaster Relief Efforts Fund with information on how to give on its website, www.wacofoundation.org. Call Melissa Miller, director of communications and donor services, at 254-754-3404.
•  You can donate to the Heart of Texas Red Cross here.  The Heart of Texas Red Cross also has an Ebay Giving Works page, so if you have items you would like to sell on ebay to raise funds (or shop items other people have given) you can so that there.  
• Texas Partners Federal Credit Union is accepting donations to assist the community of West through April 30. Cash donations are accepted and the credit union is selling “World's Finest Chocolate” to benefit relief efforts. Donations will be accepted at all branch locations: 2445 N. Main Street in Belton, 809 S. Main Street in Copperas Cove, 1011 Wales Drive in Killeen, and 6935 W. Adams Avenue in Temple. To mail a donation: Attn: West, TX Relief Fund, 1011 Wales Drive, Killeen, Texas 76549. Questions may be directed to Shelley Carlson at (254) 526-3081.
• You can donate at any Heart of Texas Good Will.  
• Aggieland outfitters is accepting cash donations at their stores.

BENIFITS FOR WEST/BLOOD DRIVES

• You can find various places, listed by city, holding events to benifit West here.
• These places also share events benifiting West.
  Bryan
  Burleson/Crowley
  College Station
  Houston (Also try this Pinterest Board)
  Shulenburg
  Temple
  Waco
  
   

UPDATE/REQUEST FROM THE MAYOR OF WEST: 
(Reposted from DFW Scanner Website)

"All the goods donated are wonderful but we have received so much, it has become a problem. At this time there are no real material needs for supplies. What will make the BIGGEST affect, is donate money to the relief at Point West Bank & Trust (254) 826-5333 or State National Bank (254) 826-3741."

The links below  types of local fundraisers, blood drives, in various cities etc.   If you know of other places, please leave a link in the comments.

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Picture thanks to Bay Area News Station (under creative commons on Flickr.)  Thanks to DFW Scanner Website and 7 On A Shoestring which supplied a lot of my inition information