Venezuelan Community in L.A. Mobilizes Aid After Earthquakes

In downtown Los Angeles, Kelly Montana stood outside her Venezuelan eatery, holding photos of her parents with tearful eyes. She frequently communicates with them even from Los Angeles while they are in La Guaira, Venezuela. Her connection has been severed since two strong earthquakes jarred the region on June 24, located 100 miles west of Caracas. To respond, Montana swiftly transformed her restaurant into a collection site for donations.

Montana’s parents were vacationing in La Guaira during the earthquakes. They are among the over 40,600 missing individuals registered in a digital database for families of missing persons. Initial reports documented 600 fatalities, a figure that climbed to an estimated 2,200 by Wednesday. Faced with this, Montana invited the local community to donate supplies at her restaurant.

Volunteers, including Lia Saba, her daughter Beverly Arbiz, and Alecia Negron, organized and packed items such as sanitary and nonperishable goods. Montana inaugurated Full Arepas last year as a tribute to her Venezuelan roots, providing her a way to remain connected to home.

A dozen volunteers gathered outside Full Arepas to assist with the influx of donations. They packed essentials into boxes set to be transported to Miami and then to Venezuela via Olarte Transport, a delivery company.

Andrea Casanova, a volunteer, shared the survival story of her grandfather who evacuated down 13 flights of stairs despite a leg injury. Her emotional distress, much like Montana’s, is compounded by the shared anxiety for loved ones back home.

Los Angeles hosts 6,770 Venezuelans, who, like Montana and Casanova, have family and friends affected by the catastrophe. In Long Beach, Nova Bakery also joined in, turning its premises into a donation center, aiming to accumulate aid for those struggling in Venezuela.

Pierina Barboza, owner of Nova Bakery and originally from Merida, emphasized the importance of communal support in the face of adversity.

Though Full Arepas ended donation collections this week, Alviany Dominguez brought more canned goods. His ties to Zulia in Venezuela compel him to contribute. The immense destruction calls for concerted help, small yet vital contributions.

Barboza plans to persist in using social media to mobilize additional relief efforts. She aspires for her actions to offer support to those in need despite the vast aid required.

Meanwhile, in Pasadena, Amara Cafe dedicated a portion of its day’s profits to Global Giving, aiding emergency relief in Venezuela. Popular among the donations was the arepa pabellón, steeped in cultural significance.

Amara Barroeta, Amara Cafe’s owner, provided not just sustenance but a haven for the local Venezuelan populace to process and support each other.

Despite ongoing searches for survivors amid a shift to recovery, Montana continues to hold hope for her parents’ discovery. In a mixture of determination and sorrow, the efforts of many give strength to those left in the wake of tragedy.