How you can help recent hurricane and tropical storm victims

If you donate to the Red Cross they are sharing and distributing funds all across the Gulf Coast to help all the people affected by the recent nasty hurricane and tropical storm season.

If you want specifically to help the people in Texas affected by Hurricane Ike, here are details:

Right now every $5 donation to the Austin Food Bank buys $20 worth of food. Austin has five shelters that are housing over 1800 people.

The shelters need these specific items: canned meats, vegetables and fruits with pop lids; granola bars and snacks; peanut butter and diapers and wipes (baby, child and adult ones).

Houston Hurricane Recovery appears to be a website with good information.

However, I cast my vote to the Houston Chronicle as the best hurricane resource. They've kept up with news, information, community details, and more via many avenues including Twitter.

Houston Red Cross has a list of Houston-area shelters and contact information. That site also provides a number of ways to make a donation.

I have heard that donations are down and some shelters are struggling to provide.

Please understand many people are displaced by this storm for either the long-term or permanently, depending.

I know we are very lucky in my family to have choices of nice and comfortable houses with all the amenities available for us. Not everyone has that. My insurance will cover my expenses while I am evacuated. Not everyone has that.

So any help you can offer will be great. Remember, like I said, $5 goes a long, long way right now.

Thanks!